Hold me
by YenGirl
Summary: HOLD ME forever, in your life, in your arms and in your heart. Major pairing: ZeroxYuuki, minor pairing: AidoxYori. If you don't want spoilers for Aido & Yori's romance, read No Matter What right after Hold Me Chapter 19 COMPLETE.
1. Chap 01: Hold Me

**Author Notes: **I've only just started reading manga a month ago and Vampire Knight was the first one - talk about starting at the top of heap, absorbing storyline, wonderful characters and gorgeous artwork!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters or the manga but the alternative story here is from my imagination.

**A/N (3 June 2013):** This story was posted in Dec 2007... when I wasn't sure I could write. I'm the first to admit it has loads of grammatical and punctuation errors. I finished it in Apr 2009 and now have almost 40 stories posted on this site. Being a working mother and beta for a handful of other talented writers here, I have no time to go through Hold Me and my other earlier stories to correct what I now correct for others. So to those who persevered through my earlier stories despite the cringe worthy grammatical and punctuation errors for the love of Zeki and who leave me lovely reviews, I thank you. To those who prefer less errors when they read (trust me, I do understand) I can only offer my later stories. Cheers.

- Chapter Start -

Zero strode along the corridor towards the Chairman's bathroom, being dispatched there to see why Yuuki hadn't returned from her bath.

"Dinner will be ready soon!" the Chairman had said while fixing up a batch of his new 'weird' concoctions that he would inevitably force Yuuki and Zero to eat, feigning crocodile tears and heavy disappointment if they did not.

Zero rapped on the glass pane of the bathroom door.

"Yuuki, are you done yet?"

Honestly, that girl – he wouldn't be surprised if she had nodded off to sleep in the middle of her bath, he thought… There was a slight splashing sound that confirmed his suspicions that she was indeed sleeping. Fully expecting to hear a sheepish 'All right, I'm coming', he jerked around when he heard "Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!" the scream coming from within the bathroom.

Fighting the urge to burst in, he closed long fingers around the bathroom doorknob and demanded, "Yuuki! Are you all right? What's going on?!"

The high-pitched screaming did not stop.

Thoroughly frightened (he hadn't ever heard Yuuki scream in the four years he'd known her), he twisted the doorknob and dived into the bathroom. Warm steamy air hit his face but his eyes focused immediately on the slight naked figure cowering half in half out of the filled bathtub, her slender fingers partially covering her eyes, arms shielding her upper body. Yuuki's wide eyes seemed to be staring in fear at the bathwater although at what, he couldn't tell. It had to be triggered with the records of her past they'd looked at earlier…

"Yuuki!" he went over to her. "Are you all right?"

She looked at him for long seconds then but didn't seem to see him. Then something changed in her eyes. She blinked then shuddered violently.

"Zero…?" she breathed.

She reached out both arms towards him and lost her balance, perched as she was on the rim of the bathtub.

He caught her automatically, warm fingers closing over the cool wet skin of her upper arms. His eyes widened as he caught sight of her naked form, and he swallowed hard. Before his brain could register anymore, he swung her bodily out of the bathtub and onto the floor in front of him, turning her around so that her back faced him. She was starting to sob now, and his heart tightened, wanting nothing more than to gather her closely to him. But he of all persons knew the danger her unclothed skin presented…

He swung towards the wooden bench beside the tub, where her folded towel lay. Reaching out a long arm, he snagged the folded cloth. Her underwear fell out from the terrycloth folds and onto the damp floor; he ignored them. He shook the towel open, flung it around her shoulders, then with his gaze fixed on an invisible spot between her shoulder blades, he toweled her body dry with brisk, efficient movements, starting from the wet dark strands of hair, her slender back now bowed with sobs, her buttocks and thighs, bending down to swipe the towel over shapely calves, then up the front of her legs and thighs. He stopped at her stomach, not trusting himself to move higher, then whipped the towel around to skim her hair again. After moving her arms away from her sides, he wound the large towel firmly around her figure, tucking in the end corner above her breasts.

"Hang on, Yuuki" he muttered as her sobs intensified. He almost took her in his arms then but his gaze caught sight of one exposed creamy pale shoulder and cursed, it was still too dangerous. A quick glance around the bathroom confirmed there was no other suitable article of clothing in sight. Wait – the school shirt he was wearing…..His hands moved to the first button, slipping it free of its buttonhole and moving to the next with smooth precision.

Yuuki wrapped her arms around herself, not understanding why Zero did not hold her as she'd expected. Couldn't he see she needed to be held…?

"Zero!" she cried out.

Zero cursed again, closed his fingers around the front panels of his shirt and yanked hard. Buttons popped and skittered across the damp tiled floor. He whipped his shirt off and draped it around Yuuki's head and shoulders. The fabric was warm from his body heat.

"Sorry, I've worn it all day, it probably smells…" he muttered apologetically. He lifted her towards him as her knees buckled, took a step back and sat on the bench, settling her onto his lap.

Finally, he closed long arms around her, one hand on the back of her head pressing her face into his neck, the other on her back holding her close to him. He let her cry against his neck, knowing she could not speak at this time. When he felt her teardrops trickling down his bare chest, he shifted his shoulder slightly, inserted one sleeve of his shirt in between his shoulder and her face to soak up the tears, then held her close once more.

How many times, he wondered… how many time had Yuuki comforted him in the four years they had known each other? Patting his hair during countless nights to help him sleep in the first year, keeping him company by his side even when he was taciturn and sullen, covering his hand with her soft one when he clutched at the tattoo on his neck to stop the ache, helping him to dry his hair and get dressed when she found him silent and depressed in the bathroom after suffering yet another fit… cheerfully letting him tease her about her infatuation with Kaname and her bad grades especially at Math….and more recently looking out for him and selflessly offering her blood whenever she saw that he needed it…

But him? When had he comforted her…? When had he held her to him to offer back the same comfort that she selflessly gave him? When had he consciously said anything with a view to make her feel better instead of the other way around?

He held her silently, until she had almost stopped crying, just little sobs and hiccoughs now and then.

"Yuuki?" he enquired, looking down at her head covered by his shirt.

She took a deep breath then, her face still buried in the folds of his sleeve and then she blew her nose hard on the sleeve of his shirt, lifted her head a little and said, "Yes, it does".

"What does…?" he asked, wondering what she was talking about.

"Your shirt, it does smell…!"

Zero scowled and blushed. On the one hand, he was glad she was feeling recovered enough to put him down, on the other, he was embarrassed at what she'd said.

"Yeah, well, I've not bathed yet," he growled.

Yuuki giggled.

"I didn't mean that… it smells of you, Zero… it makes me feel happy… safe…"

Well…!

This was different - she actually _liked _his scent? His face warmed even more.

Yuuki pulled back a bit to look at him. Her large eyes were red rimmed and her nose was pink but she was beautiful nonetheless.

"Zero, you always smell good," she smiled, "before or after your bath!"

Meeting his startled amethyst gaze, she frowned and asked, "Didn't you know that?"

"No," he mumbled.

She was enchanted when all of a sudden, those solemn lips reluctantly tilted up in a small smile. It vanished a moment later as he murmured "Even now…?"

She knew he was referring to his changed state as a vampire, and how the scent of vampires seemed to have an adverse effect on animals and plants…. although White Lily, the bad tempered horse always acted like she hadn't noticed.

Zero shook his head suddenly as if he didn't want to hear her response.

"Well," he added briskly, "dinner should be ready by now so get changed!"

Frowning at his sudden mood swing, Yuuki tossed her head and smiled at him again, wanting to see that rare smile he had flashed just now. Her sudden movement caused Zero's shirt to slip off her head and shoulders, and down her back.

Uh-oh, danger!

Instinctively, Zero jerked forward, hand reaching behind her to grab the shirt before it fell to the floor. Got it! His fingers closed around the material … only to freeze in dismay as he realised that his mouth was now in contact with the soft, smooth skin of one bare shoulder; he had leaned too far forward.

As soon as Zero's brain registered this fact, the familiar symptoms of blood lust began. It had after all been three days since she'd cornered him in an empty store room after breakfast to take away the pallor of his skin and increasingly bad temper by forcing him to drink her sweet blood…

The tightening of his heart began, his pulse quickening. He could smell her sweet natural scent mixed with the soap she used (even without the blood lust clouding his judgment and that scent of hers could drive him over the edge with wanting one minute and calm his senses down with a feeling of familiarity and peace the next). He could hear her blood running through her veins with his heightened vampire sense and the familiar ache started throbbing in his upper jaw where his fangs were growing long and pointed. His breath were coming quickly now in little pants and he turned his head sharply to one side, reluctant to let Yuuki to see the change, not realising then that she already knew.

He had to get out of here!

Zero started to rise to his feet, hands shifting to her waist to steady her on her feet but of course it was already too late.

"Zero?"

Gentle hands cupped the sides of his face and turned it to face her. He allowed her to do so but kept his gaze down, focusing on the slow rise and fall of her chest, noting the shadow visible just above the end of the towel he had tucked in earlier…

"Look at me," she commanded.

"No," he muttered, his breaths coming faster. He released her waist then, one hand clenched to a tight fist at his side, the other splayed across his naked chest, feeling the band grow tighter and tighter around his heart, chipping away at his self-control.

Yuuki placed one hand under his chin, tilting it up and seeing anguished irises tinged with crimson meeting hers, lips quivering with blood lust parted to reveal gleaming pointed fangs, porcelain skin was stretched taut over fine cheekbones… the image of a beast imprinted over the face of a boy.

Still, there was no fear, no recrimination in those gentle brown eyes, just understanding, compassion and pain at his torment.

"Here… it's OK, take it, please," she murmured. She finger combed damp hair to one side and tilted her head to the same side, exposing even further one creamy shoulder and neck.

"Yuuki, no!" Zero groaned.

He was still going to fight it!

Pressing her lips together, Yuuki put two hands on the back of his head then pulled it firmly towards her with a sudden movement, tucking his face against the side of her neck.

"Yes!" she insisted. She tangled her fingers in the silken strands of his hair, holding his head fast against her neck.

He threw his arms around her then, his body trembling, puffs of warm air against her neck as he panted. His ragged breathing was harsh in her ear, his body shuddering with the effort to hold back.

Then...

"Sorry," he muttered, shoulders slumping as his self-control broke and he gave in to the hunger. The moist rasp of his tongue against her neck, twin stings of pain on her skin - and the sounds of hungry feeding. He tangled the fingers of one hand in her wet hair to keep her neck exposed to him, and the other at her back, clenched tightly on the top of her towel. The shudders in his body slowly lessened as he slaked his hunger with her sweet blood.

Yuuki closed her eyes, feeling a tear slip down her cheek unchecked. It wasn't due to the sting of the bite but because she could feel this proud person's pain and self-loathing, and she would have done anything to take it away from him. She could tell that he was fighting the urge to take more than he needed, stopping himself from hurting her anymore than he already was, preventing himself from treating her as just his prey. She moved her hands to his broad shoulders to hold him closer to her towel clad body. A trickle of blood tickled as it escaped his lips and coursed downwards but before it could stain the towel stretched across her chest, his tongue followed it and lapped it up, making her shiver. Then his lips closed once more around the puncture marks to drink.

Long moments later, Zero stopped and lifted his mouth from her neck. She felt his tongue sweeping up all traces of blood on her skin then press gently to the twin wounds to ensure the bleeding stopped. He unclenched his hands from her hair and towel then wrapped both arms around her to hold her close.

"Thank you, Yuuki," he whispered against her ear.

"You're welcome, Zero", she whispered back.

He straightened up to look down at her, his gaze soft and vulnerable. It was a look only she was allowed to see and even rarely, at that.

"Are you OK?" he asked, his amethyst eyes no longer tinged with red but filled with concern for her and lingering guilt at what he had done.

"…. Yeah, don't worry, I'm fine," she smiled. He licked his lips clean but they still looked rosy and moist and she found her gaze locked on his lips.

What would it be like if they…? she wondered then blushed. When she finally tore her eyes away from his lips to his eyes, she found them staring at her lips in return.

Even more flustered, she leaned back, causing his clasped hands at the small of her back loosened.

"Ah… I - I'd better… get dressed…" she stammered, scrambling to get off his lap.

Then… it happened. His fierce grip on the back of the towel when he drank her blood earlier had loosened the folds and caused the tucked in corner above her breasts to slip out. She had placed her hand on his knee to brace herself, not realising it was also pinning the hem of the towel at the same time. As she slid onto the floor, the towel slipped completely off her body onto his lap.

"Yuuki!" Zero exclaimed but seemed frozen to the spot, his shocked gaze riveted on the fully exposed delights he had caught only a glimpse of earlier.

Yuuki glanced down and shrieked. Feet on the floor, she jerked around out of his embrace, turning her back on him, almost losing her balance in the process. She righted herself, snatching up the towel so that she could cover up properly. Whipping the towel around her shoulders - thank heavens it was a proper bath sized one! - and started to wrap it over her front when she heard the harsh scrape of the wooden bench being slammed against the tiled wall, then Zero was behind her, so close she could feel his flat stomach against her back, his chest against the back of her head.

"….Zero…?" she quavered, her arms still frozen by her sides, unable to move, cheeks flaming with embarrassment.

"It's OK… Yuuki," he said, his voice shaking a little.

She saw his hands coming round from behind to either side of her as if to hug her. Only he didn't... Each long fingered hand moved to a breast and closed around the globe of flesh gently, cherishing the weight and shape that fit perfectly in his slightly trembling grasp.

Yuuki inhaled sharply, her nipples hardening instinctively against his palms, cheeks growing even hotter. Still, she did not slap his hands away, her own were still clenched in the folds of the towel. She knew from the strangled sound he made that he realised what had happened, that he was also looking down at her over her shoulder, his height working to his advantage.

Still, she stood still, scarcely daring to breathe, staring down at his hands covering her, knowing that he too, seemed to have stopped breathing. A moment that seemed like an eternity passed… until a shudder racked his body, she felt it ripple through her.

"Sorry", he muttered, releasing her and stepping away.

Glancing up at him then, she saw the sweat on his brow and upper lip, Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed hard.

"Get – get dressed, you'll be late for dinner," he said, striving for his normal tone of voice as his long legs carried him swiftly towards the bathroom door.

At the door he stopped abruptly, fist clenched against the wall, breathing hard. Then he turned his head to glance at her and again his gaze slipped down to her breasts involuntarily.

"Yuuki," he said, his voice raw and aching. "You're beautiful, you know."

When her lips parted to emit a squeak, hands clutching the towel tightly around herself, he reverted back to his usual self. Instead of his usual smirk, a small smile appeared briefly on his handsome face to tease her with its suddenness. The next moment, he was gone, whistling as he walked down the corridor.

Five minutes later, Yuuki was dressed and had given up trying to cool down her heated cheeks. Not wanting Zero to come looking for her again, she hurried down the corridor to the dining room where the he and the Chairman had already started eating.

"Come, my daughter!" beamed the Chairman, waving her to the chair on his left, Zero was sitting on his right. She sneaked a glance at him, but he was eating and studiously avoiding her gaze. He had changed into the lilac sweater she had given him for his last birthday, it brought out the purple in his eyes and made his skin look even paler by comparison.

The Chairman was busying himself, piling food onto her bowl and making sure she tasted every dish and gave her opinion on each of them.

Zero watched Yuuki from beneath his lashes. She'd always been an attractive girl and her slender body held the promise of something more – he knew she would be a real beauty when she reached womanhood. Combined with her caring nature and sunny personality, he had a sudden yearning to be the one she chose to walk by her side for the rest of her life…

Lost in thought, it was a few seconds before he realised she had caught his glance. Something flashed between them – the knowledge that he now knew what lay underneath the dress she wore.

He saw her cheeks flushed again before she looked away and continued eating. He looked away as well, but a small smile lingered on his lips.

- Chapter End -


	2. Chap 02: Hate Me

**Author Notes: **Hi, it's me again… another chapter from me on my fav VK couple, ZeroxYuuki. Please read and don't forget to leave your comments, ya..! Ta in advance.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters or the manga but yes, this little chapter is my own.

- Chapter Start -

"Hey, you! Get back here" shouted Zero, glaring at the first year student surreptitiously sneaking up the path that led to the Moon Dorms. The first year student froze on the spot then slowly looked over her shoulder, guilt and apprehension written all over her thin face.

"I – I was just going to… er…" she stammered, looking about to cry.

"Well?" Zero demanded, arms folded over his chest and still glaring at her.

Yuuki's sharp retort died on her tongue. She swung to Zero.

"You don't have to overdo the "bad prefect" routine, you know…" she scolded. "You've been at it the whole morning already! Give us all a break, Zero!"

She turned back to the girl.

"All right… come here" she began in a softer tone, only to break off as Zero left her side, striding over to the hapless girl. He reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Just what did you think you were doing?" he hissed, amethyst eyes narrowed and fierce beneath his unruly bangs. "I'm fed up of always having to tail you crazy girls all over school!"

Yuuki gasped as he walked back towards her, practically dragging the poor girl behind him.

"Zero, it's OK," Yuuki said hurriedly, afraid the girl was going to lose her balance and fall – that would be bad enough but she was sure to graze an elbow or knee on the concrete path at the very least…

As if to prove Yuuki right, the girl's legs being much shorter than Zero's caused her to miss a step and trip, falling on her knees and scraping them painfully as Zero took two more steps before he realised what had happened and stopped.

"Oh no," moaned Yuuki. She darted forward, slapping Zero's arm away from the girl.

He released his hold and stood there, stunned, as the girl pushed herself up, sat on the path and promptly burst into tears.

"Zero… you're so mean! I hate you…" she sobbed.

Neither Zero nor Yuuki heard her, their attention riveted on how blood was welling from a particularly nasty cut on one scraped knee.

"Uh oh," muttered Yuuki, her heart sinking. They'd have to move her away real quick. It was only just lunchtime but vampire senses were really sensitive, no telling how little time they had before the Night Class students woke up to the scent of freshly spilt blood.

Yuuki whipped out a tissue from her skirt pocket, kept there for moments like this – 'emergency blood situations' - she thought grimly to herself as she dropped onto her knees and pressed it to the wound gently but firmly. The last thing they needed was to leave a trail of blood on the ground… "Ouch!" said the girl; Yuuki ignored her.

"Zero, let's get her to the infirmary…"

Yuuki looked up, trailing off as she saw his gaze riveted on the bloodstained tissue in Yuuki's hand. She could hear his quickened breathing and her heart sank further as she saw how pale he looked, skin stretched tight over the fine bone structure that made Zero one hell of a good looking guy…

"Zero!" she hissed, punching him in the arm to draw his attention.

He started and looked at her, one long fingered hand already moving to his chest. She knew his symptoms of blood lust but…

"Not now!" she mouthed at him.

Zero swallowed hard but his eyes changed anyway, the amethyst hue slowing being obscured by crimson.

"Sorry…" he gasped. Before she could say anything, he swung around, crashed through the bushes the lined the path and vaulted over the stone railing along the covered walkway that also led to the main building, but through a side entrance.

Yuuki bit her lip, annoyed that he had left her to take care of the girl, but understanding perfectly why he did it. It would never do to have word going around the school that one of the two prefects was a vampire… and worse, had attacked a student…

- o -

Fifteen minutes later, Yuuki left the infirmary with the girl, having cleaned the scraped knees and bandaged them up securely. She left the student in the school canteen complaining to her pals what had happened, something which Yuuki ignored.

Now, to take care of the other problem, she thought to herself, standing in the main hall indecisively for a moment as she wondered where Zero might have disappeared to. She frowned to herself, she should've known he was starving… after all, it had been a full four days since he'd last drunk from her veins.

He'd been moody all yesterday evening and even more bad tempered this morning, glaring and snapping at anyone he met and steadfastly ignoring Yuuki's increasingly pointed gaze.

A quick glance in the empty kitchen and dining room and then Yuuki hurried down the corridor, peeping in the main bathroom – empty. Perhaps his bedroom? she wondered, but it was empty too.

Angry that she was using up her lunchtime looking at him and worried that she didn't know where she was, she stopped suddenly.

_C'mon Yuuki, think! You know him better than anyone else…_

She closed her eyes, remembering the effortless way he'd boosted himself one handed over the stone railing – she'd have ended up with two scraped knees if she tried _that_ stunt…

Automatically, she turned and headed off to the side entrance that led to the covered walkway. Her footsteps slowed walkway was empty, but instinct told her Zero was nearby and she was right.

He was behind the garden storeroom, hidden from view by flowering bushes. He was on his knees beside the building, one hand on the wooden plank wall, the other clutching at his chest, panting, jacket and tie carelessly flung on the nearby grass. He showed that he was aware of her presence by turning away from her, resting his head against the wood.

"Go away, Yuuki," he gasped when she tugged on his arm.

"Not a chance!" she retorted, pulling hard.

When he shook her off, almost causing her to fall backwards, she threw herself forward and grabbed his arm once more. He was taller than she was, stronger than her, how was she going to get him away? Someone could chance upon them at any moment…

"Quick, someone's coming!" she said urgently.

The lie worked – Zero's head jerked up then he struggled to his feet as Yuuki tugged hard on his sleeve once more. She glanced around but it was too risky to get to their bedrooms with him in this state.

"Here," she hissed, pulling him round to the door of the garden storeroom.

Thank goodness the part time gardener hadn't locked the door; Yuuki thrust the door open, pushed Zero in before slipping in and shutting the door. Her fingers felt for the rusty latch and she shot it home, knees almost buckling under her in relief.

Phew – that was close!

She turned back to Zero. The storeroom was small – only four feet by six, its interior made even smaller by the shelves that lined three of the walls. It was also dim, as sunshine filtering in from the skylight was partially obscured by fallen leaves.

Right now, Zero looked even taller than usual. Something - she wasn't quite sure what - made Yuuki take a tentative step backwards.

"You've locked me in here, but you're on the wrong side of the door."

Zero's voice reached her, sounding strangely sinister.

Yuuki swallowed. Nonsense, she thought. This was Zero after all, her best friend for the past four years.

"Zero? You'd better drink-" she broke off, hearing the telltale quiver in her voice.

What the hell was wrong with her? Other than the first shocking time he'd attacked her from behind, she'd never feared him before!

Perhaps it was the dimly lit room… the way he seemed more like a shadow than a person, white shirt and silver hair showing up in the darkness… the sound of his harsh breathing strangely magnified in the close surroundings…

"Quit playing around, Zero!" she said impatiently. She unbuttoned her jacket and shrugged it off, turning to snag it on a row of hooks she knew was nailed across the back of the door. She was unbuttoning the second button of her shirt when she heard his step on the rough concrete floor and his ragged breathing close to her ear. Long fingers with the strength of steel clamped down on her shoulders and spun her around forcefully, tightening their grip to stop her as soon as she was facing him.

Fingers frozen on her shirt front, she stared up at him.

"Zero?" she squeaked uncertainly.

He didn't say anything. Crimson eyes boring into hers, he reached down and caught her wrists unerringly in his grasp, bringing them up to her ear level. With the sounds of his laboured breathing in her ears, he backed her up until her head and shoulders hit the storeroom wall next to the door, the backs of her hands smacking against the rough wood of the wall. He pinned her slender form against the wall with his body and continued glaring down at her, knowing his eyes were glazed with crimson and pulled back his lips to reveal his long pointed fangs.

Yuuki stared up at him, not saying anything, her shallow breathing almost soundless in contrast to his.

_Dammit, doesn't anything faze this girl!_

Zero steeled himself by inhaling sharply, only to almost break down as he breathed in the sweet, sweet scent that was Yuuki's alone. No, do it now! he thought desperately then swooped down to bury his face in her neck, biting down hard. His fangs sank deep into tender flesh, deeper even than the first time he had bitten her.

Ouch! Yuuki gasped at the sudden pain, her body tensing automatically against his, her face turned away. Despite bracing herself, it hurt. It really did, tears of pain spurting out from her eyes before she squeezed them shut.

Zero had known it would hurt even before he heard the soft gasp and felt how her body tensed up. Good, he thought, steeling himself. Hate me. _Hate_ me.

Red blood welled up from the wounds, he sucked it into his mouth and swallowed hungrily again and again, hating himself even more with each gulp. Yuuki refused to say anything, holding in her sobs, not pushing him away. Zero could feel her crying silently, tears slipping past her closed lids and falling down her cheeks, her body shaking.

Go on, shout at me! he thought desperately. Push me away, go on, dammit!

Jerking his lips away, he lifted his head and glared down at her, twin streaks of blood dripping from the sides of his mouth down his chin and staining his shirt collar.

"Are you frightened, Yuuki? Now, are you finally scared of this monster?!" he barked at her.

She gazed back at him through tear-filled eyes and wordlessly shook her head.

Zero's lips drew back in a snarl and she saw gleaming fangs and teeth awash in red.

"Well, you should be!" he raged. He swooped down and continued drinking until the red haze receded and his breathing slowed down but the tightening in his chest didn't abate one bit.

He stopped then, panting against her neck, filled with disgust at the way he had hurt her, anger at how she accepted it without protest. It didn't work. She hadn't stopped him at all… and he almost groaned aloud in despair.

Yuuki had closed her eyes again. He's strong, she thought. He could've killed me easily if he really wanted to, he could've really hurt me if he wanted to. Even now, his hands were still clamped tight around her wrists, the lack of blood was causing her finger tips to start tingling with pins and needles.

"Zero? Let go of my hands, please," Yuuki said, keeping her voice calm although her heart was still racing.

Zero shuddered at the sound of her voice against his ear, gentle and low. Slowly, he lifted his head to look at her.

"No," he said just as calmly, but with a note of despair he couldn't quite hide. Does she… does she hate me now? he wondered, faint hope mixing with despair.

_Yuuki, hate me, please. Push me away now, don't be a victim anymore …_

But Yuuki smiled up at him tremulously, knowing full well he was trying his hardest to make her disgusted with his behaviour.

"Let go of my hands, Zero, so that I can hold you close," she said softly.

Zero's eyes widened in shock, unaware of just how vulnerable and lost he looked despite her blood staining his lips and chin.

"You - why- you should be pushing me away, Yuuki. You should be scared of me, you should hate me," he whispered wonderingly, shaking his head in disbelief.

Holding his gaze, Yuuki shook her head as well.

"Never, Zero," she said. "Never."

Zero exhaled suddenly and took a deep shuddering breath, releasing her wrists. She let her arms drop limply to her sides, wincing as blood flowed back to her numbed hands and fingers.

"Yuuki, you idiot!" he breathed, his voice holding a thread of laughter that sounded strangely close to tears.

Then she was caught up suddenly in strong arms that squeezed her hard against his body for an agonizing moment before they loosened their hold, trembling with the effort not to crush her with his strength.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Zero whispered again and again against her hair, one arm around her back, the other pressing her head to his chest.

"Don't be," Yuuki whispered back. Tears fell again but they were of relief this time as she wrapped her own arms tightly around his back.

After a while, he fell silent and held her as if he never wanted her to leave, rocking her very slightly.

Yuuki, eyes shut tight, face pressed against his shirt, surrounded by his warmth and oh so familiar scent, found herself not ever wanting to leave his embrace, savouring the now gentle side of Zero with his guard down.

He sighed against her hair, then cleared his throat to speak

"I bit you too hard this time," he sounded almost… shy, she thought.

"It's OK."

"You'll be dizzy, I drank too much."

"I'm fine, Zero."

"You should go lie down and-"

"Zero, shut up!"

He obeyed her but tightened his arms around her, bringing her even closer to him.

Yuuki sighed knowing that lunchtime was almost over.

As if hearing her thoughts, Zero stirred then pulled back reluctantly, his hands moving to her arms as if afraid she's fall if he let go completely.

"We'd better go," he said. He released her to push long slim fingers through his hair before shoving one hand deep in his trouser pocket. He unlatched the door then reached for the doorknob.

"About that girl," he offered over one shoulder "sorry I didn't-"

Hands on hips, Yuuki glared at him in mock annoyance.

"Zero, enough already!"

He glanced back at her and hunched a shoulder in reply then turned back to open the door.

"Zero, wait! You should er, clean up first," she reminded him, pulling another clean tissue from her pocket and handed it to him.

His lips twisted but he took it without comment and swiped it across his lips and chin. Balling it up tightly in his hand, he glanced at her neck.

"You should get changed first," he commented.

Yuuki's own eyes moved to his shirt collar.

"You too" she returned.

"Yeah".

Zero opened the door cautiously and they both peeped out.

The corridor was empty, as lunchtime was over and afternoon classes had started. They slipped out , Yuuki already buttoned into her jacket; Zero collecting his jacket and tie from the grass before making their way back to the main building and their bedrooms. It almost felt like they'd been… making out… in secret, and Yuuki was glad of the cool wind to cool down her slightly flushed cheeks. The air smelt clean and fresh after the stuffiness of the storeroom.

"…two minutes" said Zero as he left her at her bedroom door, not looking at her.

She glared at his retreating back. "Hey, I need three!"

In her room, she stripped off her stained shirt and then washed off the bloodstains on her neck at the sink, wincing as the cold water stung her wounds. After sticking on a band aid, she wore a fresh shirt, making a mental note to collect Zero's stained shirt from his room that night to soak in soap.

It wasn't quite three minutes when she opened her door but she wasn't surprised to see Zero already waiting for her.

He was leaning almost casually against the wall, hands back in his pockets, the knot of his tie already snugly nestled under the snowy collar of a clean shirt under his jacket. Silently, he swung into step alongside her as they made their way down the corridor and out towards the school grounds.

"Zero, do you think we'll get detention again?" Yuuki asked, more to break the silence than anything else.

"Dunno," he shrugged, frowning at the ground. His head jerked up suddenly.

The Chairman was making his way from the classrooms towards them.

"Chairman!" greeted Yuuki, smiling widely and waving both arms.

Zero glanced sideways at her. One would've never known she's had her blood drunk just minutes ago, he thought.

"I've just been to see your teacher," beamed the Chairman, "told him you were late running errands for me."

Looking at their surprised faces, he continued, "Well, it would never do to have my two Guardians in detention when the classes switch, right? Off you go then. Oh, and here, take these."

He pushed two bread rolls and two bottle of water into their hands and then shooed them off towards the classroom.

Zero and Yuuki stared in unison at the rolls in their hands, at the Chairman as he continued on his way towards the main building, and then at each other.

"Well! Lucky for us," said Yuuki, still looking surprised.

"Yeah."

Zero's eyes narrowed on the retreating figure of the Chairman. I wonder, he thought to himself before finding his hand caught by Yuuki's much smaller one, urging him to the side of the school building.

"Let's eat this before we go in, I'm starving!"

Five minutes later, they threw the empty wrappers and bottles in a nearby bin and walked back to the front entrance.

"C'mon, race you to class!" Yuuki said, grabbing his hand again and forcing him to run with her.

He shook his hand free and lengthened his stride, taking the lead with little effort, forcing her to quicken her pace. Winning the race easily, he bounded up onto the main entrance to the classrooms and swung around.

"Hah, I win again!"

Yuuki was a few steps behind, laughing, her wide eyes sparkling with the joy of the moment.

Zero looked at her for a moment, enjoying the sight of her smile and the sound of her laughter. His lips tilted in the small smile he reserved specially for her and he reached out to take her elbow.

Crossing over to the classroom door, they knocked and entered at the teacher's command.

- Chapter End -


	3. Chap 03: Your Room or Mine Part 1

**Author Notes: **Zero tries to avoid biting Yuuki yet again by resorting to blood tablets, Part 1.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the fabulous manga or characters except the arrangements of the words below and the scenes they flesh out. Oh, and I know Yuuki and Zero sleep in the Day Class dorms but that would have been really awkward for my story! Eeek…

By the way, does anyone know what color eyes Zero actually has? I make it amethyst/violet but some have said gray/silver (great combination with silver hair too)… so…. if anybody knows for sure, let me know ya, I will update my text immediately. Hey, please do leave a review if you've come to this point, not having one makes me feel like I'm singing to an empty stage…!

-- Chapter Start --

It happened as they'd walked back to the main building after ensuring the Night Class has returned safely back to the Moon Dorm after class. Zero had noticed she ate very little that day and her eyes had seemed feverishly bright but he'd been too distracted by the antics of the besotted Day Class girls to think about it much. Only when she'd stopped mid-chatter by his side, had he looked down at her. Yuuki put up a tentative hand to her forehead, "Oh… it's …" she said, then eyes closing, she just crumpled up. Zero's vampire reflexes enabled him to easily catch her slender body against his. Her body felt hot against his and he realised she had an alarmingly high fever after touching his cool forehead to hers.

Striding to the Chairman's office with Yuuki in his arms, Zero stopped abruptly when she saw the tall, elegant figure of Kaname Kuran approaching him with unhurried footsteps, snow white uniform contrasting starkly with long ebony hair that trailed over his broad shoulders. "Yuuki… what happened, Kiriyu?" Zero could sense the menace in his soft voice.

"She fainted… Kuran. Fever." Zero kept his voice carefully neutral but his eyes were not. He never bothered with honorifics when it came to any of the Night Class students, and more often than not, was border line rude to them all, especially the pureblood leader. He didn't even care if it made him the "Most Wanted to be Murdered" vampire on campus.

The Chairman heard voices outside his office and opened the door to see Zero and Kuran glaring at each other over the unconscious figure of Yuuki cradled in the former's arms. "Yuuki, my poor girl! What's happened to you?" he cried as he stepped forward, his eyes automatically searching for blood on Yuuki's neck. Finding none, his gaze swept up to Zero. "Zero?"

"Fever. She fainted while we were walking back here" explained Zero briefly. The older man placed a gentle hand on Yuuki's forehead, tut-tutted to himself then instructed Zero to bring her up to her bedroom. Kuran fell into step, walking beside Zero. As they walked, the Chairman leading the way, he could sense the palpable tension between the two vampires and how tightly the vampire leader was holding himself in check, refraining from snatching Yuuki into his own arms. The glaring also hadn't quite abated…

Yuuki… sighed the Chairman silently, are you even aware of the depth of love these two men have for you…? Zero placed Yuuki gently on the bed, his hand smoothing back the silky strands of brown hair from her hot forehead, earning a hiss from the vampire pureblood in return. Zero let his hand linger on her cheek, turning to face Kuran with a taunting look in his eyes.

The Chairman intercepted the look. "I'll go look for something to bring down the fever. Yuuki will need to be changed as well." He looked uncertainly from one vampire to the other.

"I'll do it."

"Over my dead body. I'll do it!"

The Chairman sighed aloud this time. "Yori will do it" he said firmly, "Zero, can you please get her. Mention my name to the Ladies Day Dorm Leader…". Zero hesitated, looking from the vampire leader to the Chairman, then left. The older man waited for a moment, then looked at Kaname. "Kaname, can you please get my first aid bag from my office…" Kaname swung around without comment, then stopped. Over his shoulder, he said softly, "So you don't trust the both of us… Chairman?"

The Chairman chuckled softly. "I just didn't want Yuuki waking up to find you both tearing each other throats out…!"

The vampire leader regarded him for a moment then he too, seemed to relax a little. "That is a likely occurrence" he agreed as he left the room. "Only be assured, I will be the one doing the tearing…"

The Chairman shook his head rather resignedly. He wet a hand towel at the sink and bathed her hot forehead and hands while waiting for them to return. Kaname was first, his breathing still calm and unhurried despite the short time he took, the concern apparent in his eyes. He handed the bag to the Chairman, his eyes already on Yuuki, then bent down to stroke the back of his elegant hand across Yuuki's feverish forehead and cheek. "Uuh…" she murmured, twisting her head.

"Hush, Yuuki…" Kaname whispered. "I'm here, it's OK…"

Zero thrust open the bedroom door, a scurrying Yori behind him. He froze on the spot, seeing Kaname's dark head bent close to Yuuki's. "Chairman, I've brought Yori" he said shortly. The older man swung around as Yori hurried into the room.

Kaname straightened up, removing his hand from Yuuki's. Seeing the two younger men glaring at each other again, the Chairman also rose. "Yori, thank you for coming. Can you please get her changed? I'll be in shortly to give her something to bring down her fever…" Yori nodded, her surprised eyes going from Zero to Kaname and back again. "And we shouldn't be here..." added the Chairman firmly, pushing the two young men out the door in front of him.

During the next couple of days, Zero visited her at night, Kaname during the day. It was almost… amusing… that they deliberately came at different times. Not that they both said much while they were with her. Zero sat nearer to her, on the edge of her bed but was… remote. Kaname, ensconced in the chair next to her bed with long legs elegantly crossed, often reached out with his hand to ensure that she was not feverish, or just to slide his fingers down her flushed cheek.

Yuuki sighed, staring at the ceiling. She was fed up of having to stay in bed but was too restless to tend to her sketching. In these past couple of days, somehow, when she started drawing Zero, his eyes looked like Kaname's and when she tried sketched the charismatic vampire leader, he stared out at her from the paper with Zero's steely gaze. It was frustrating to say the least…

She started wondering whose visit she preferred but somehow she just couldn't decide…

"They need me at the council tonight, there's a meeting…" announced the Chairman as Zero and Yuuki sat down to dinner that night. As they looked at him in surprise, he nodded wearily. "It's regarding the recent spate of attacks of that wretched Level E vampire in town…" He looked up to see Yuuki staring at him and Zero staring down at his own bowl of rice. Abruptly, the Chairman's mood changed. "Well!" he exclaimed happily, "I have two new dishes for you to try tonight!" And he babbled on, piling food onto their bowls and petitioning for their opinions.

It was the first night in a week they'd sat down together for a meal, Yuuki only just recovered from her recent bout of fever and flu. Yuuki and Zero ate silently, lost in their respective thoughts. Zero ate very little, noted the Chairman and he seemed to be holding himself tightly in check… He looked very pale in contrast to the black of his school uniform jacket. Inwardly, he sighed. Oh, Zero…well, it can't be helped…. He ate rapidly, put down his chopsticks then stood up. "Well, it's time, I'm off!" announced the Chairman. Eager for an excuse to stop pretending to eat the weird concoctions in front of her, Yuuki jumped up as well. "OK, I'll start clearing up. Zero, could you bring in the dishes?" she said as she quickly stacked the Chairman's empty bowl on top of her half cleared one then headed off to the kitchen before her adopted father could see how little she ate.

Zero started to rise as well, but a heavy hand on his shoulder stayed him. He looked up in surprise. The Chairman turned to take an empty glass from the sideboard, filled it half full with water from the jug, then placed it in front of Zero. He shook out 2 blood tablets from Zero's pill box beside his plate then plopped them in the water. They both watched in silence as the water turn pink, then blood red as the tablets dissolved. Zero could feel the Chairman's eyes on him but he refused to return the look this time. There was a heavy sigh. "Zero, I know you - hate the tablets… but – please…"

"I…" Zero finally looked up at the Chairman and started to speak but the older man held up a hand. "It's not for my sake, Zero…and it's also not for your sake…but Yuuki… she's only just recovered from her flu, she's not her robust self yet…" The actual meaning behind the words sank into Zero's brain like stones dropped in still water. Like ripples spreading on the surface of the water, embarrassment and guilt rippled through Zero at the knowledge that the Chairman actually knew what was happening, what Zero and Yuuki were doing in secret…

"You …. know…?" asked Zero in a low voice, for once not actually daring to look at the Chairman in the eye. The older man shrugged. "Why not? I've watched the both of you together for four years now… how you grew up and in each other's company too… I know you two care very much for each other…"

There was a long moment of silence then another heavy sigh as the Chairman glanced at the clock. "I really have to go, otherwise I'll be late…" He squeezed Zero's shoulder and left. Zero sat there lost in thought. When he next looked up, he was alone in the dining room. He glanced again at the glass of ruby red liquid, and almost immediately, he could feel the familiar tightening in his chest and his pulse started to quicken but conversely, his stomach felt queasy and his head started to throb with the beginnings of a headache …

"Zero! C'mon, bring in the dishes!" floated Yuuki's voice from the kitchen, laced now with slight impatience. Zero's eyes darted to the kitchen door. In his mind's eye, he could picture her easily at the kitchen sink, up to her elbows in soap suds as she exuberantly washed the dishes (and inevitably caused the kitchen floor to be flooded once she'd finished), a small frown between those big eyes of hers…. eyes that could never completely hide what she was thinking… sparkling with impish laughter when they bantered together, filled with tears when she saw him gasping in pain and trying to restrain himself from biting her, warm with concern and worry for him that he'd hate himself even more after he'd had his fill of her blood, and even dreamy and unfocused when he suspected her of thinking about that pureblood Kuran…

Enough! Zero snatched up the glass and downing its contents in a single gulp, slammed the glass back onto the table. He sat still, feeling the liquid making its way down his gullet, willing himself to keep it down this time… for Yuuki's sake…

Where was Zero? Yuuki uttered an impatient sigh then heard the sound of one of the dining chairs being scraped back suddenly. Something clattered to the floor. "Hey, Zero… are you bringing in the dishes now?" She walked to the kitchen door, surprised to see that the dining room was empty, dirty dishes still littering the table. She'd heard the Chairman leave a minute or two ago but she thought Zero was still there, he was normally quite conscientious about helping her to clear up…

She sighed then started clearing the table, stacking the drinking glasses first. She suddenly realised there were four of them, Zero had one in front of his plate as well as another beside it. She had poured the water for all three of them herself and couldn't recall Zero having two glasses during the meal. She picked up the one beside his plate, there was a little bit of red liquid remaining in the glass.

Her eyes swung towards Zero's chair, at least three feet away from the table and looking as if it had been pushed back violently. Instinct made her look down at the floor and even before she saw Zero's pill box on the floor, she knew what had happened. That Zero, he's going to make himself sick…! Even as she thought that, she was already spinning away from the table and running down the long corridor to the bathroom, nimble fingers slipping the buttons on her cardigan free as she ran.

Yuuki skidded to a stop at the bathroom door, clutching the door jamb for balance and breathing quickly from her sudden sprint. The door was closed but she twisted the knob and thrust it open with her other hand. "Zero…!" He was on his knees, hunched over the toilet bowl, one hand tucked in between his knees, the other yanking loose his school uniform tie then clenching at his coat front. She was just in time to see him retch, then heave the contents of his stomach into the toilet, whatever little dinner he'd eaten mixed with dark red liquid. He retched again and again, each time bringing up more of the same red liquid.

"Zero!" Yuuki rushed over to him, dropping to her knees, her hand on his shoulder. He coughed weakly and spat out whatever remained in his mouth, then shuddered but didn't look at her. Drops of sweat ran down his face and his silver hair clung to his damp forehead. She got up, took the clean hand towel by the sink and wet it with cool tap water. She wrung it out then went back to Zero. Wordlessly, she held his chin with one hand then sponged off his face, pushing his damp hair off his forehead, her movements quick and gentle. Folding the towel, she slipped off his tie, unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt, then ran the cool towel around his neck.

Back at the sink, she tossed in the towel, filled a plastic cup with water and brought it back to Zero. "Here, rinse your mouth" she said gently. He did as she asked, swishing the liquid around his mouth a couple of times and spitting the water out to take away the sour taste of his own vomit. After passing her back the empty cup, he stood up slowly on legs not quite steady, one hand on the tiled wall to balance himself, then moved away from the toilet bowl without looking at her.

Yuuki pressed the flush button, tossed the cup in the sink then strode back to where Zero was standing, eyes boring holes in the tiled wall, the palm of one hand still flat against the wall tiles.

"Yuuki, please go…"

"No, Zero" she said. She stepped in front of him and looked up at him, but found that he was now looking down at the floor. "Look at me! What were you thinking?! Don't the tablets made you ill…?!" she demanded, hands on her hips. It hurt her to see him suffering like this.

"Yuuki…you're so stupid… what else was I to do?!" The words burst out from him angrily and he glared down at her this time. He was even paler than before and breathing hard. In his current starved state, his senses were heightened, and he caught the scent of her blood easily, realising from the heavier and muskier scent that she was now having her menses. Just the mere thought of her blood even though it wasn't directly from her veins caused the bands to tighten even more around his heart again, his eyes taking on a crimson hue and his breathing even more ragged. Finding it hard to breathe, he shed his school jacket with jerky movements, tossing it carelessly away. Yuuki's eyes widened at the sight of his white school shirt, wet with sweat and plastered to his lean frame.

"Do you still need to ask?" Yuuki shook her head disbelievingly. Unafraid of the changes in his face, she reached up to grasp both his broad shoulders, feeling the damp material beneath her palms. "You come to me, of course!" He shook his head violently. "Yes!" she insisted.

"No! You've …" he broke off and swallowed. He took a breath then continued, his voice now expressionless. "You've only just got well, Yuuki… and… you probably got sick in the first place because I've been drinking your blood…"

"That's not true –" began Yuuki, hands on hips.

He interrupted her, his voice growing more agitated "Yes, don't deny that! And – and to add to that, you've got your… your monthly problem as well…!" He stopped abruptly, realising what he'd just said. Dammit!

Yuuki stared at him, hands clasped to her suddenly burning cheeks. "How – how do you know that?" she gasped. Had she stained her skirt? Had she forgotten to flush the toilet earlier? Zero swung away from her. "I… can smell it…" he mumbled, taking a step forward towards the bathroom wall. Arms straight out, he rested both palms on the cool surface of the tiles and hung his head. The sound of his uneven breathing filled the otherwise silent bathroom.

"Oh…" said Yuuki tentatively, still staring at him. "Well…" she tried again. Vampire senses were that strong, huh…? she wondered inwardly. She knew she was still blushing. Zero ignored her. Her gaze traveled to his hands, clenched now into tight fists against the wall, knuckles showing white under the strain. Well, it was now or never…

Yuuki shrugged off her unbuttoned cardigan, tossing it carelessly onto the wooden bench beside the bathtub, then slipped into the small space between the wall and Zero. She wore a cream colored sleeveless top inside, so all she had to do was move her hair to one side and tilt her head, exposing the right side of her pale slender neck, looking up at him with fearless wide brown eyes.

"Yuuki…" he ground out, unclenching long fingers to grab her wrists and hold them captive beside her head against the wall. "You're so stupid….! You shouldn't…. I mustn't …" She looked up fearlessly into the crimson tinged eyes but said nothing. He glared down at her for a moment more, his hot breath fanning her face, then dipped his head down to the right side of her neck. "You idiot…! Why do I even…" he whispered hoarsely against her ear.

"Wait, Zero…!" she said. Tongue already darting out to swipe her neck, he froze. What, had she suddenly changed her mind? Was she going to deny him this now when he was just a hair's breadth away from her sweet, sweet blood? A low growl escaped his throat.

"Let go of my hands… please, Zero…" she continued. The words struck a bell in his fogged brain. What had she said when he'd taken her blood in the garden storeroom the other time… the time when he'd tried to frighten her with his more bestial nature, only to find himself redeemed yet again in her eyes…

Aahh… yes… Her words came back to him then and obediently, he released his tight grip on her wrists. One hand cupped the back of her head and tangled itself in her shiny brown hair, the other slipped round her back to clutch tightly at the back of her tank top. "Please… hold me…" he whispered brokenly as his mouth touched her neck again.

And she did… leaning back against the wall, closing her arms unhesitatingly around him, one hand around his back, the other moving up to hold his head to her neck as his fangs broke the tender pale skin and he groaned as her blood welled up. He started drinking deeply, slaking his thirst, eyes closing in guilty pleasure.

Yuuki closed her eyes as well, feeling his lips on her neck, her ears taking in the sounds of his desperate feeding, slow, hot tears slipping down her cheeks. Listening to him sucking at the puncture wounds on her neck, then gulping down her blood. He was heavy against her and she braced herself against the wall, holding him tight. As she expected, Yuuki felt dizziness coming on after only a couple of minutes… her knees almost buckled beneath her… but she didn't say anything. She knew Zero was hungry still. Abruptly, he jerked his lips away from her neck, panting. "Enough" he whispered raggedly.

Yuuki opened her eyes dazedly. "Zero?" she asked, lips against his ear. "You should take more…" And was stunned into silence when, even with his breathing ragged and his body trembling, she felt him licking off the smears of blood at her neck then pressing his tongue gently to her wounds to stem the flow. She took a trembling breath as he then folded her into his arms just as gently, leaning his chin on the top of her head. Head against his chest, Yuuki listened to his rapid heartbeat for a moment, then pulled back to look at him. His face was still pale and the glow of blood was still visible in his eyes, echoed in the blood stained lips and chin. "Zero, why did you stop?"

He saw her glance at his mouth. Quickly, he swiped his sleeve across his lips and chin to wipe off the blood stains. "Enough for now, Yuuki…" he told her gently. "I shouldn't take anymore tonight… you've only just got well…" Her big eyes widened further as she realised that he was holding back because of her. "Oh, Zero…" she breathed, amazed tears blurring her vision as she stared at him. "You didn't think I'd drain you dry this time, did you?" he managed to tease her. She shook her head wordlessly. "Oh, Zero…" was all she could say again and saw the small smile he seldom wore blossom on his lips and how it invoked the shadow of a dimple in one lean cheek. She smiled tearfully and somewhat shyly back at him then hid her face in his shirt front once more, letting the already wet material soak up the tears falling unheeded down her cheeks.

He closed his eyes, feeling both pleasure and pain. The bloodlust was still there… but… it was within control now. It was torture holding her like his but he didn't move, feeling every inch of her slender form against his. There was another reason why he shouldn't be holding her like this, he could tell she wasn't wearing anything underneath her sleeveless top…

He pulled back from her reluctantly. "Ugh… I'm all sweaty, I should take a shower… sorry about that" he said, careful to keep his eyes on her face. Yuuki smiled reassuringly. "It's OK, you know I don't mind…" She tilted her head slightly to one side, large brown eyes now challenging him to recall what she'd said last time about his sweat and he looked down, feeling slightly embarrassed. She saw his eyes focus on her chest and stay there. "And you should get … changed, otherwise you'll fall … sick … again …" he said, voice suddenly husky.

Yuuki looked down as well, her surprised expression giving way to consternation as she saw how the white material had turned semi transparent after being pressed to his wet shirt. "Oh…!" she exclaimed, her eyes darting back to him. He looked back at her, the crimson hue in his eyes replaced by an altogether different glint she wasn't quite sure she wanted to decipher. Quickly, she swung away from him, cheeks flaming. She hadn't bothered wearing her bra as she hadn't originally planned on removing her cardigan …

She caught up her cardigan from the bench, holding it protectively in front of her chest. "Well…." she floundered for something to say only to come up with nothing. After a moment of silence, Zero said "I'm still hungry actually… for food, I mean…" Yuuki glanced at him in surprise. "You are?" Oh, that's right, he'd thrown up whatever he'd eaten just now …

"Me too. Tell you what, Zero, you take a shower and I'll reheat the Chairman's special dishes just for you…!" she offered, her tone and lips solemn but the teasing glint in her eyes gave her away.

Zero grimaced in response to her words. "OK then, how does instant noodles sound?" she relented, partly to see him smile again. She wasn't disappointed. Then he caught her shoulders, squeezing them for a moment before turning her towards the door. "Go change first, I'll be done in 5 minutes" he ordered with his usual tone. "OK" she smiled cheerfully then left. Zero stared after her in wonderment … how did she do it? Smiling and teasing him when just minutes ago, she'd been held tightly in his arms, listening to him drinking her blood …

-- To Be Continued --


	4. Chap 03: Your Room or Mine Part 2

**Author Notes: **Part 2.

-- Continued --

Thirty minutes later, Yuuki put down her chopsticks with a sigh of satisfaction. By unspoken consent, the Chairman's dishes had ended up in the rubbish bin and they'd enjoyed a simple meal of steaming noodles in soup with fried eggs.

Yuuki had quickly changed to a clean shirt then cleared the dining table. She was busy washing the dishes at the sink while she waited for a pot of water to boil for the noodles. She'd just started rinsing the dishes when she heard the rustle of plastic and turned around to see Zero, wet hair slicked back and wearing a clean sweater and pyjama pants, silently emptying 2 packets of instant noodles into the boiling water. He ignored her look and she kept silent, instinctively knowing he didn't want to speak… he was always a little more withdrawn than usual after drinking her blood, as though embarrassed that she'd seen him vulnerable under the wicked control of the bloodlust, as though he was unsure of how to face her despite it not being the first time he'd drunk her blood.

In any case, he cooked a better bowl of noodles than she did… The companionable silence had lasted while they ate. Yuuki was feeling comfortably full and as well as tired and sleepy. She should get more rest, the last thing she wanted was to faint again in front of Zero and cause him even more guilt.

She checked a yawn and roused herself. "Well, let's clear up" she said, reaching for his empty bowl. His hand closed over hers. "I'll clear up since you washed up earlier" he offered. Seeing her about to argue, he continue "And you get your homework, I know you've not done your algebra yet…" She looked annoyed. "I can do it later" she tossed her head. Standing up, she realised her legs were a little shaky as well although she wouldn't have admitted that for the world. She now forced herself to sound flippant "… after all, tomorrow is Sunday, no classes, right?"

"Yeah, but I'm here now in case you have any questions. Go get your book" he repeated, looking at her sternly. Well, Yuuki reflected, biting her lip. It was better than struggling on her own, even though it galled her that he breezed through Math….and pretty much every other subject as well. "OK, OK", she grumbled, not wanting him to know how much she actually appreciated his offer of help.

Zero cleared the table then returned to the kitchen to get started on the dishes after making sure Yuuki was sitting down at the freshly wiped dining table with her book open at the first question. Well, yawning and staring at it at least…Five minutes later, he wiped his hands dry on the dish towel and walked out to the dining room only to find Yuuki fast asleep, left cheek on her open book, right hand still holding her pencil loosely.

That girl…! Scowling, he walked over and glanced down at her book. She'd only gotten the first question done. He shook her right shoulder. "Hey Yuuki, c'mon, wake up. You've barely started…" Another glance at the absurd figure she'd written as the answer and he shook her a little harder. "And your answer's wrong too!" Her only response was a gentle snore. "Hey…" he broke off abruptly as his shaking caused her hair to slide off her neck, exposing the two fresh puncture wounds on her pale milky skin. He swallowed hard, unable to keep from staring at the marks. He'd done that… despite the Chairman's implicit warning earlier… despite his resolution to keep away from her… despite the fact she's only just gotten well… He bit down hard on the knuckles of his clenched fist. Dammit…!

He couldn't wake her up now… Oh well, he'd just have to spare some time from cleaning the stables tomorrow to help her get her homework done. He… owed her. Even more than ever now…

"All right, Yuuki, time for bed" he murmured. Placing her pencil on the table, he bent down, slipped his left hand under her left arm and his right arm under her knees. He lifted her out of the chair easily, cradling her against his chest with her head against his left shoulder, then bent slightly to grab her book and pencil with his right hand. She stirred in his arms but didn't wake up.

Outside her bedroom door, he managed to twist the doorknob with one hand and pushed it open. Entering the room, he nudged the door shut with his foot. The streetlamp across the road illuminated her room although he didn't actually need it to negotiate past her desk to the bed. He tossed both her book and pencil onto her desk, littered with papers of her random sketches she liked to do in whatever little spare time she had. Striding over to the bed, he bent his tall frame to place her gently on the bed, with her head on the pillow. He slid out his right arm from under her knees then started to ease out his left arm from her neck, well aware of the powdery softness of the skin on the back of her neck sliding against his inner arm. Abruptly, her right hand reached out to grip his left one, keeping his arm pinned under her neck.

"Yuuki? You awake?" he enquired, bent awkwardly over her. "Stay here…" she whispered. "Go to sleep now, I'm going back to my room…" he said softly, trying to pull out his left arm again. She tightened her grip. "No, Zero, you sleep here…" she insisted, turning her head to look imploringly into his eyes. "Please…"

He hesitated for a moment. "Alright, until you fall asleep then…" he relented. Dammit, he was just putty in her hands… "C'mon, move over" he added. It was a rather narrow bed, he thought, but if he kept still enough… She shifted closer to the wall, her eyes drifting shut again, her slender fingers still gripping his hand. Zero eased himself down, supporting himself on his elbows and kicked off his slippers, then swung his legs up onto the bed under her blanket, resting his head next to hers on the same pillow. His left arm still pinned under her neck, he reached down with his right hand to pull the blanket out from under her legs to cover them both.

He thought Yuuki had fallen asleep again but she turned around to face him, shifting down until her head was pillowed on his shoulder. He froze in place. She placed her left arm on his chest and threw her left leg over his, turning her face into the soft wool of his sweater. "Goodnight, Zero" she said. He swallowed then whispered back "Goodnight, Yuuki, sleep tight…" His own face turned towards her, he brought his left arm up to hug her close to him, burying his face in the sweet fragrance of her hair. Despite everything else, his heart filled with peace and his own eyes drifted shut…

Hours later, Yuuki stirred and opened her eyes sleepily. She was back in her bed, turned to face the wall. It was still dark but the light from the street lamp spilled onto her bed, a nightly occurrence that no longer interfered with her sleep. She brought up her left hand and squinted at her watch – six o'clock…good, she thought drowsily, heavy eyelids closing, there was still time to sleep some more… Suddenly, her eyes snapped open. Wait a minute, how had she gotten here? She remembered staring at her open algebra book, the incomprehensible figures blurring as she yawned repeatedly, then impatiently scribbled an answer she'd plucked out of thin air… Perhaps the Chairman had carried her here, as he had in the past when she was still a little girl…

She felt very comfortable and warm… and suddenly realised she wasn't alone in bed but was being held by someone. Her back pressed against a warm chest that rose and fell with deep even breathing, warm air stirred the hair on her forehead and an arm lay across her waist, palm flat on the bed. Alarmed for a moment, she lifted her head slightly then recognised the familiar wristwatch on the other arm, illuminated by the streetlamp. Oh, it was Zero's left arm her head was pillowed on…

It's funny… in the four years they'd know each other, they had never slept together on the same bed despite the fact she'd soothed him to sleep almost every night in the first year he'd been here. But he felt so good to snuggle against. Zero really has more body heat than me, she thought sleepily. She relaxed against him once more, her movements slow and cautious, not wanting to wake him.

He'd grown so tall in the four years she'd known him… she mused… towering well above her now, although they were the same height when they'd first met. Looks like I'm destined to be a midget, she thought drolly. Her glance shifted again to his left hand, resting on the bed. Zero has really nice looking hands, she thought, noting the clean graceful lines, long lean fingers and clean short nails… she really should sketch them one day… Then she frowned a little; there was a short jagged line across his knuckles. When did that happen, she wondered. Did he cut his hand while washing the dishes earlier?

Curious, she pulled his hand closer to her face for inspection, forgetting her earlier resolution of not waking him up. She stared at the cut, suddenly realising it was caused by … someone's…teeth… Absently, she stroked the pad of her thumb over the cut. It couldn't have been because he wanted to draw blood right? After all, how much blood could you get biting your own knuckles? But now she recalled doing the same thing when she was much younger and so frustrated with her homework she could scream. So did that mean…

Yuuki started suddenly when she heard Zero's voice, low and sleepy. "Stop that, it tickles…" Her hand froze but remained on his. "Zero, you awake?" her voice sounded small, even to her own ears.

"I am now…"

"Uh…sorry to wake you up…" she squirmed uncomfortably, "I - thanks for…carrying me to bed. You – you should've woken me. I can walk, you know…" her voice still came out breathy and soft rather than the annoyed tone she was striving for. She tried again in a stronger tone this time, "And what are you doing in my bed, too tired to walk to yours?"

Zero wasn't sorry at all to be woken up since it was to find himself warm and cosy in a bed that smelled of Yuuki's soft scent and with her in his arms, completely without alarm and holding his hand to boot. He heard her chuckle softly in her hair "You begged me to stay with you, remember?" he drawled.

"I… did?" Yuuki's cheeks flamed as she now recalled her words spoken in sleep slurred tones. Shit!

As he felt her squirm against him in apparent embarrassment, Zero's amusement vanished. He shouldn't be in her bed, it was too dangerous! What if the Chairman walked in to check on Yuuki? What if… what if… he got hungry again and attacked her in his sleep? He should get out. Now. Perhaps if he got her annoyed enough, she'd kick him out of her bed…

"Yup, you begged me to…you're such a baby, Yuuki…!" he repeated, forcing a mocking note into his voice. Inwardly, he winced when she stiffened in his arms, inhaled sharply then opened her mouth to deliver a stinging retort. He waited for it, hardly breathing.

Yuuki closed her mouth abruptly. He's doing this on purpose, she realised suddenly. Trying to make her angry again… "Well?" he goaded her after hearing no reply. Surprised, he felt her body relax against him once more.

"Yes, I did, didn't I… Thank you for carrying me here… and staying with me, Zero…" was all she said, her tone deliberately soft and gentle.

There was a stunned silence this time, and she grinned to herself. Then, she heard him sigh heavily as if to concede defeat. "You're welcome" he said, then added reluctantly, "you must've been really tired huh…" She heard the guilty tone in his voice.

"It's not because of you, Zero…"

"It is" he said with finality. He shifted up onto his elbow, trying to get up and dislodging Yuuki's head onto the pillow in the process. "I'd better go to my…" he began. But Yuuki clamped her right hand over his and trapped it against her stomach. He stopped, looking down at her uncertainly. She returned his look steadily. "I'm warm now… if you go, I'll be cold" she said, her tone as steady as her gaze. "But…" he objected, his mind looking again for reasons why he shouldn't stay.

"Do you want to…go? Zero, honestly?" she asked softly and saw his shoulders slump. "No…" it was almost a groan.

"Good!" Yuuki smiled. She shifted against him until her head was on his arm once more, tucked his arm even tighter around her stomach, and laced the slender fingers of her right hand with his, letting both their hands rest on the bed. Aahh, this is heaven… thought Zero. Then, as Yuuki snuggled her hips even closer against his - aagh, hell…! he mentally groaned, shifting his hips slightly away from her. He knew she didn't notice that subtle movement either. She – she didn't seem to be aware of anything but the fact that he should stay with her, Zero thought with something akin to pained amusement. Shutting her eyes, Yuuki yawned. "Let's sleep some more, Zero…" she murmured sleepily.

"Alright…" he agreed, burying his face once more in the soft fragrance of her hair and closing his eyes.

-- To Be Continued --


	5. Chap 03: Your Room or Mine Part 3

**Author Notes: **Part 3.

-- Continued --

The next time Yuuki opened her eyes, sunlight was streaming through the window. Her head was still pillowed on Zero's shoulder, his arm heavy around her waist, his breathing deep and regular. He was sound asleep.

She yawned but resisted the urge to stretch, not wanting to wake Zero again. I should get up, she thought.

A sudden thought occurred to her – had Zero locked her bedroom door last night when he carried her here? Otherwise, the Chairman might discover them – he had checked on her every night since her high fever a week ago, brushing aside her protests that she was just fine. If he found them like this – man, that would be awkward. Really, really awkward. Almost automatically, her brain started stringing together plausible excuses to explain why was Zero sleeping in her bed, but they were all too cringe-worthy to even comprehend, much less complete.

Why don't I just go check… she decided. Carefully, she lifted her head from Zero's shoulder then slipped out from under his arm. Silently, she moved slowly over to the edge of the bed and stood up, then glanced back at Zero, long pajama-clad legs tangled in her blanket, longish silver hair falling over his closed eyes.

The door wasn't locked! Yuuki inhaled a little sharply – thank goodness the Chairman hadn't checked on her last night – perhaps he'd overlooked it after his meeting…

Yuuki glanced back at the bed; Zero was still sleeping. She caught up her towel and a fresh change of clothing, then let herself out quietly to have her shower in the main bathroom.

Zero's eyes opened as the door closed. He'd awoken when he felt her slender body sliding out from under his arm. He'd almost tightened his arm around her then but thankfully stopped himself in time.

He'd also heard her sharp intake of breath at the door. No doubt she'd found the door unlocked and was… relieved they hadn't been discovered. Zero's lips almost twitched. He should get up, he thought. Even though it was nothing short of heavenly… waking up in Yuuki's bed, her pillow under his head, her blanket across his legs, her soft, sweet scent surrounding him and the memory of her body against his, still imprinted on his mind.

He stretched lazily, then turned onto his stomach, burying his face in her pillow. Just two minutes more… he thought drowsily.

Yuuki hummed softly to herself as she padded back to her bedroom, rubbing absently at her wet hair. She'd worn her favourite T-shirt (with a teddy bear holding a flower in front) and shorts. The Chairman wasn't anywhere to be found though… she'd even gone down the corridor to the kitchen to make sure. Oh, well.. it's Sunday…!

Back in her bedroom, Yuuki's breath caught as she saw Zero in her bed. What – still sleeping? she thought disbelievingly. Then why is it that the Chairman and Zero always insist that she was the record holder for sleeping the longest? She blew out her breath. Well, this time she had _definite _proof that Zero was the lazy one, not her. No, sir. She was going to find the Chairman _right now _and inform him that Zero was still sleeping… in… her… bed. Damn.

She sighed, then reached a hand behind her to twist the lock on the doorknob and slide the deadbolt home. Oh well, at least Zero won't be able to deny this once he opens those gorgeous amethyst eyes of his to find her showered, dressed and standing right before him, right?

Draping her towel across the back of her chair, she walked over to the bed. His face was buried in her pillow, his right arm alongside it.

She was suddenly reluctant to wake him up. After all, she knew better than anyone else of the nightmares he suffered last time, perhaps even now…

Moving a step closer, Yuuki felt an unexpected urge to touch his hair, a curious feeling given the fact she'd touched it numerous times before, starting from the very first night the Chairman had brought him to the academy on a cold winter's night four years ago. She realised the ends had grown long past his shirt collar. It was time she reminded him to get a haircut. But at the same time, it looked… soft. Really soft and … touchable…

Inching closer, small teeth holding her lower lip, she stretched out her left hand tentatively towards the silvery strands lying against the wool of his sweater at the back of his neck. Closer… a little more… okay, right here…

Zero's right arm whipped up, palm turning inwards, long fingers closing around her slender wrist, causing Yuuki to shriek in surprise. He flipped onto his back, automatically shifting his body towards the centre of the bed to avoid falling off it.

Sleepy amethyst eyes looked up into startled brown ones. "What now?" Zero enquired, voice still husky with sleep. Yuuki looked and smelled wonderful, he thought.

"Nothing…" she denied, blushing and pulling on her trapped hand. He held on to it, still looking up at her, one eyebrow raised.

"It's nothing, Zero! Let go now!" she insisted, pulling her hand even harder.

Zero loved watching the color bloom in her cheeks, particularly when he was the one causing it. "What do you mean by 'nothing'?" he drawled.

Yuuki clamped her lips together and stopped tugging on her hand. He knew what she was going to do and waited for it. As she drew in her breath, preparing to tug even harder, he pulled her suddenly towards him. The move was nicely timed; Yuuki gave another shriek of surprise as she lost her balance and tumbled right onto him.

Zero let out a small grunt of surprise. Yuuki wasn't heavy but he hadn't expected her to fall right on top of him, ending up with her right elbow and lower arm flat on the pillow beside his left ear, her left hand braced on the wall behind the pillow, wrist still trapped in his hand, her stomach on his own flat one, her face inches away from his.

He lay there, stunned. But strangely, or perhaps… not strangely, being Yuuki, she didn't seemed alarmed. Surprised certainly… but not alarmed. She was staring intently into his eyes, as if transfixed. He shifted a little. "What is it?" he asked softly.

"Your irises…" she murmured. "They're purple… mostly… but they've got these really, really tiny silver chips in them…"

They have…? wondered Zero absently. He was more interested in the tiny frown between her eyebrows as she studied him… how the delicate strokes of her eyebrows perfectly matched her heart-shaped face. He noted the long dark lashes that fringed her large eyes… the meltingly soft chocolate of her eyes that made him feel as if he could drown in them… the sweet pink of her lips as small white teeth caught on a lower lip in concentration.

Yuuki shifted on him unconsciously, dipping her face still lower. Toothpaste scented breath wafted over his face. "They're beautiful…" she breathed, seemingly in awe.

Zero didn't give a hoot about his eye color or whether or not they did in fact have silver chips in them but his body tensed all the same. This isn't really a good idea… apart from the fact that they were on a bed… _together_… her body was _right on top _of his, her hips were _right on_ … He'd better do something before his body did…

He lifted his head off the pillow, his keen sense of smell reeling with Yuuki's scent enveloping him. Under the superficial fragrance of the shampoo and soap she used, her own scent was intoxicating - soft but oh so sweet… he would never get enough of it… never. Even the faint scent of her period was immensely... Zero groaned silently as his body started to awaken… but whether with bloodlust or with… something else, he couldn't tell.

Yuuki yelped in surprise as Zero surged up suddenly, abdominal muscles tensing against her stomach as he pushed up, grabbing her right wrist at the same time. He intended to have Yuuki sitting on the bed, and himself off it completely. But he didn't realise Yuuki's legs had gotten tangled in the folds of her blanket when he'd pulled her onto him earlier. They both tumbled back onto the bed with their positions reversed; Yuuki's head was on the pillow, as were her hands, slender wrists still clasped in his grasp. This wasn't really any better… his face was now buried in her neck. Great.

"Idiot! You made me lose count…!" Yuuki said, sounding more annoyed than anything else. One minute she'd been busy counting the silver chips in his left iris, the next moment, her head was spinning as she found herself lying on her pillow, Zero's body weight heavy on her. A giggle escaped her lips.

"Sorry – " Zero broke off. It was a mistake trying to talk with his lips already on her skin… It felt almost like a kiss…

"Uh… Zero?" said Yuuki uncertainly. She shifted uncomfortably.

Zero gritted his teeth, his upper jaw starting to ache as his fangs lengthened a little. Get a grip! he told himself. He lifted himself up a little, breathing a little more heavily, bracing his arms on either side of her head. "I'd better get out…"

Someone tapped on the door. They both froze.

"Yuuki? Are you still in bed?" called the Chairman.

Brown eyes widened as they gazed into equally stunned amethyst ones. Both pairs of eyes swung to the door in unison then back to each other. Hell, I didn't even hear him coming… thought Zero distractedly. A thought occurred to him.

"The door…!"

"It's OK, I've locked it…"

Automatically, they spoke in whispers. There was a moment of silence as they read both guilt and alarm in each other's gaze. Yuuki swallowed, her gaze moving to the door again, her cheeks flushed.

"Yuuki, are you still sleeping?" sang the Chairman. The doorknob rattled.

Yuuki gave an almost soundless moan, eyes darting back to Zero's helplessly.

"Say something!" Zero hissed.

"What? You say something!" she hissed back at him.

Zero rolled his eyes. "Idiot! This is _your_ room, I'm not even supposed to _be_ in here!"

Oh, right…

"Uh… I'm getting dressed, Father…!" Yuuki called out then closed her eyes, cheeks flushing even more in mortification. She'd always, always avoided calling the Chairman that unless he insisted and even then, it was only in his presence. To do so in front of Zero…

The Chairman chuckled, delighting in his dear girl's choice of words. "Take your time, my dear girl! In the meantime, I'll go look for Zero. Breakfast will be ready soon…"

They both stared at the door, listening to his footsteps fading. Yuuki turned back to see Zero staring at the wall, his arms stiff, his body tense.

"Phew!" she exhaled softly. "That was close, huh, Zero?"

Then, as Zero said nothing, she wriggled a little. "Gosh, you're heavy…" she huffed. Still no reply.

"Zero? You OK?" she asked softly.

He swung back to her then. "No, I'm not OK!' he burst out. "That was way too close! Suppose you hadn't locked the door? Suppose we were… I was… you know…" he floundered then broke off, scowling. His breath had quickened and it wasn't entirely due to the Chairman's sudden presence outside the door. He knew that the Chairman was already aware that he drank Yuuki's blood… Zero inwardly cringed, remembering their conversation last evening.

Zero had absolutely no intention of letting the older man actually witness it… his cheeks flushed a little as he imagined the look on the Chairman's face were he to witness Zero (or any other vampire for that matter) satisfying their bloodlust from his precious daughter's neck, rivulets dripping down her neck to stain her shirt…

He groaned softly as bloodlust stirred within him again. After all, he'd only taken a little from Yuuki last night… and spent the whole night lying next to her as well… I'm demented, he decided. Blowing out a sigh, he released her wrists and sat up, swinging his legs onto the floor. He pushed frustrated fingers through his hair, then cradled his head in his hands.

"Zero? Do you need more…"

"No, Yuuki…!"

"But –" she started.

He swung round to glare at her then almost immediately, turned away again. Yuuki sat up as well, seeing the need he couldn't quite hide in his eyes. She reached up to place both hands on his shoulders. He tensed.

"Yuuki… don't…" he muttered.

"But I'm well now…" she insisted.

Unable to stop himself, he glanced back at her. Hair still damp from the shower, head tilted slightly to one side as she regarded him with compassionate warm eyes, she looked… invitingly, divinely tempting… His eyes strayed to her neck. Damn.

The cute T-shirt she wore had a high, tight neckline. It would be too… messy… Yuuki saw where his eyes went. She reached up a hand and fingered the neck of her T-shirt. It wasn't the most suitable thing to wear in these… er, circumstances… and she knew he was thinking the same thing.

He frowned slightly as Yuuki gave a little toss of her head that usually meant she'd made up her mind about something. "Yuuki…?" he asked, sounding faintly alarmed as she crossed her arms, grasping the hem of her T-shirt with both hands. "What are you – " he broke off, eyes widening with shock as she drew the T-shirt swiftly over her head. He had a brief glimpse of a cream colored bra that held a most intriguing shadow between two lacy cups before she hugged the T-shirt tightly across her chest.

"I'm… running out of clean shirts, that's all…!" she said, blushing as Zero continued to gaze at her in shock. One arm holding the T-shirt in place, she swept her hair off her right shoulder with the other. It was the same side he'd bitten last night and the healing twin puncture wounds were still visible. "Hurry up…" she urged.

Zero shifted around to face her more fully, his hands grasping her shoulders. "Yuuki, you sure?" he asked.

"Yes!"

He lowered his face to her neck and she tilted her head a little more. He released one shoulder to cradle her head, sliding long fingers through her damp hair, keeping it tilted to the side. Warm lips latched onto her skin, his heavy breath feathered across her ear and cheek.. A faint shiver shook her as he ran his tongue gently over the twin bite marks. She felt his fangs graze her neck and sighed, closing her eyes.

"Yuuki, you still in there?" the doorknob rattled a second time.

What the - ! Zero's head jerked a little, causing his fangs to scrape her skin, making Yuuki gasp. Surely not the Chairman again?! Her heartbeat, already quickened at the anticipation of being bitten, went into triple time.

Zero froze, breathing hard against her neck, fingers tightening almost painfully in her hair. He shuddered, trying hard to control himself. "Say… something…" he panted, his lips next to Yuuki's ear.

Yuuki blinked. Pulling herself together, she cleared her throat then spoke "Uh, just five more minutes… I need to dry my hair first…" Her voice quivered a little but she prayed it went unnoticed. Well, it wasn't a lie, her hair was still wet… she thought, heart still hammering in her throat. Zero had closed his eyes, his body trembling very slightly as he held himself in tight control, his own heartbeat accelerating even more at the rush her blood in her veins.

"OK, hurry up then … Can't find Zero though, where is that boy…"

For the second time, they both listened to the Chairman's footsteps fading down the corridor, Yuuki's left hand at the back of his neck, the fingers of her right hand still gripping his shoulder.

Zero kept still, taking deep breaths, trying to shake off the feeling that he'd almost been caught making out with the boss's daughter… Dammit!

"Zero?" Yuuki said against his ear, "it's OK, you can continue if you want…" She tried her best to sound serious but a giggle escaped her lips nonetheless.

Zero scowled again. "You find this funny?" he growled, lifting his head and glaring into her eyes. Grasping her shoulders, he gave her a little shake, causing her T-shirt to slip down onto her lap. He completely forgot what he was going to say next.

Yuuki snatched the T-shirt with both hands, clutching it to her. She darted a glance at Zero, seeing him close his eyes and curse under his breath.

"Forget it!" he swung his legs onto the floor again, then stood up. Long strides carried him swiftly to the door. Decisive fingers unlocked the door with quick movements.

"But… Zero…!" Yuuki glanced around her room, desperately searching for something to say. Her gaze landed on her Algebra workbook lying on her desk and she found inspiration. "… you promised to help me with my Algebra homework, remember?" she asked softly.

Zero stopped, startled. Slowly, he turned his head to look at her. Her eyes were wide and innocent… but why was it her voice had sounded… almost… triumphant…? He looked down and exhaled loudly, closing his eyes for a moment before regarding her again.

"This evening, then…" he tossed at her, then left.

Alone in her room, leaning against the wall, Yuuki smiled softly.

-- To Be Continued --


	6. Chap 03: Your Room or Mine Part 4

**Author Notes: **Part 4.

-- Continued --

When she skipped into the study room that evening, Yuuki was a little taken aback to find the Chairman sitting at the table, together with Zero.

"Ah, Yuuki…!" he beamed, putting down his newspaper. "Homework?" he asked, noticing the book and pencil case clasped in her hand.

"Uh… yes" she muttered, shooting a sideways glance at Zero. He'd glanced up as soon as she had stepped in, keen eyes taking in the blue jeans jacket she was wearing over her black sleeveless top. He raised an eyebrow at her, causing Yuuki to blush and scowl at him. What the heck was that for - she was only making it more convenient for him, right?

Quietly, she settled in the chair next to Zero, opening her book and getting a pencil from her pencil case. She shot an uneasy glance at the Chairman as she did so. That was strange, he didn't usually join them here at this time of day… perhaps he wouldn't stay long…

The Chairman started perusing his newspaper again. Yuuki looked at Zero a little more pointedly this time. He didn't return her look but one broad shoulder lifted slightly in response. She shrugged in turn, forcing herself to focus on her detested homework as he drew her book closer to him and ran through the first question and what she needed to do.

Even though Yuuki tried her best to concentrate, her gaze shifted occasionally to Zero's pale features. She also noted uncomfortably that his moodiness increased each time he had to explain the same question more than once, frowning heavily at her at the same time. Just great… she thought unhappily.

One agonisingly long hour later, Yuuki finally penciled in the answer to her last question, tongue caught between small white teeth. "Finished!" she exclaimed, exhaling loudly in relief. She let the pencil drop onto the page and stretched her cramped fingers, belatedly realising she had clenched the pencil too hard in her attempt to solve the questions. She glanced at Zero again. He was watching her movement with a tiny smile on his lips at the same time.

"Good" he said, apparently lounging at ease in his chair but she saw the tension in his face, how he seemed to be… holding himself tightly in check… Only… how could they do anything with the Chairman in the same room?

Zero saw Yuuki was still looking at him. He gave an almost imperceptible jerk of his head towards the door. Yuuki caught his hint, closing her book and keeping her pencil in her case. "I'll just go keep my stuff…" she began, standing up.

"I'll go with you…" offered Zero in his usual expressionless voice. Yuuki looked down, feeling a mad urge to giggle. She bit her lip.

"Oh Yuuki, since you're finished with homework, can you help me prepare dinner?" said the Chairman, folding his newspaper. He stood up and stretched, yawning. "I have a sudden craving for my darling daughter's special prawn salad…"

Out of the corner of her eye, Yuuki saw Zero's body freeze. She glanced at him again, seeing the sheer frustration mirrored in his eyes.

"Uh, let me first…" she began, trying to think of an excuse that would give her at least half an hour alone with Zero.

"I'll take your stuff to your room" Zero said shortly, reaching for the book and pencil case in her hand.

"Oh, but…" she protested, tightening her grip. Zero ignored her, almost wrenching the things from her hand before stalking from the room without a backward glance.

"Great, thanks, Zero!" smiled the Chairman. "Let's go, Yuuki…"

Yuuki sighed… looks like Zero is going to have to wait… again, she thought unhappily.

Dinner that night was in Yuuki's opinion, a rather awkward affair, with the Chairman conversing most of the time, Yuuki enough to keep things going, and a sullen and moody Zero eating hardly anything and speaking not at all.

After dinner, Yuuki cleared up while the Chairman and Zero patrolled the school grounds. She lingered in the kitchen, washing each cup and plate with unwarranted attention, even wiping down every counter in sight just in case Zero decided to seek her out in the kitchen.

He didn't.

Finally, she sighed, wiped her hands on the dish towel and left for her room. After her bath, she sat at her desk for over an hour, the first twenty minutes rubbing absently at her wet hair and staring out of the window, and the remainder of the time half heartedly sketching, only to discover a picture of Zero had formed without her realising it. Windswept silvery hair half hiding narrowed eyes glared up at her from the paper, silently accusing her of not helping him… Sighing, she crumpled it up and tossed it into her wastepaper basket.

Glancing at her watch, she saw it was already eleven o'clock. Knowing Zero, which she did, it looked like she would have to seek him out instead…

Zero had continued patrolling even after the Chairman retired to his study. The night wind was cold and he zipped up his windbreaker, shoving his hands deep in its pockets, silver hair disarrayed by the wind. He wondered if Yuuki was waiting for him but was somehow most reluctant to find out.

After all, he was nobody important, just a vampire hunter and human turned tortured vampire and ex-human… and someone who couldn't even keep from biting her whenever his bloodlust grew too strong, never mind the fact she was the one who usually cornered him...

I mean, what the hell am I supposed to do – knock on her door like a beggar begging for scraps? he thought angrily, viciously kicking aside a small stone in his path, nursing the flame of anger burning in his chest, even though he knew it wasn't Yuuki's fault he was still very hungry for both her blood as well as for food… and still somewhat… quite… embarrassed over the whole mortifying incident especially when she had actually giggled at his discomfort… He scowled to himself.

Finally, he went back to the main building to take his shower. There was hot water available but perversely, he didn't take advantage of it, showering instead with icy cold water that left him shivering faintly with cold, goose bumps erupting all over his body and an even fouler disposition than before. Clad only in his pajama pants, he strode barefoot back to his room, toweling his wet hair almost angrily.

He wrenched open his bedroom door. Even before he'd taken a step inside, he sensed her presence… her sweet soft scent…

"Yuuki?" he said, startled.

The light from the corridor fell on her. She was sitting at his desk by the wall, watching him. Hardly daring to believe his eyes or his keen sense of smell, he reached out a hand, found the light switch and flicked it on. Light flooded the room.

Yuuki was sitting cross legged on his desk chair facing him, her lower arms folded across the back of the chair and her chin resting on them. She was dressed in the pale yellow satin pajama set the Chairman has given her for her last birthday, the silky material bringing out reddish highlights in her hair and making her skin look almost… translucent.

Zero's heartbeat accelerated. She was here… in his room… waiting for him…! He kept his tone expressionless. "It's late, Yuuki. You should be in bed…"

She kept silent, just continued looking at him with her large brown eyes… eyes that seemed to see right past his cold facade straight into his tortured soul…

"What are you doing here?" he continued, raising his voice a notch, trying hard to sound irritated… and almost succeeding.

Yuuki regarded him solemnly. "What do you think?" she countered.

Amethyst eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Zero, you promised…" she said softly.

"I promised to help you with your Algebra homework and I have…" he returned shortly. He dragged the towel from his shoulders, turning to hang it on one of the hooks behind the door. Then he shoved both hands through his still damp hair before leaning against the door, folding his arms and glaring daggers at her.

Oh… he was… embarrassed… Yuuki realised. After what happened that morning in her room, later in the study room and even in the kitchen where the Chairman volunteered himself and Zero to patrol the grounds, it was no wonder. She was surprised the Chairman hadn't noticed the tension during dinner, singing praises of her prawn salad and updating them on the day's news, blissfully ignorant of Zero's increasingly sullen mood and Yuuki's nervousness.

"Well, I promised something else…" she added softly, her eyes warm and understanding.

Zero's eyes widened a little at her words, his breath quickening. He stared at her for a long moment before his shoulders relaxed. He gave a brief nod, then turned to the door to lock it. The click of the lock was ominously loud in the silent room. Yuuki kept still, watching him as he moved closer, still staring at her as if she were an apparition that might disappear at any second.

Suddenly, his gaze dropped to her pajama shirt's lacy collar and he frowned. "You planning to soil that too?" he asked, jerking his head at her shirt.

Yuuki smiled, used to his brusque tone. "Oh no, I came prepared!" she said happily, hands moving up to unbutton the top two buttons. "I've got on my top underneath…" she broke off suddenly, hands stilling on the third button.

Seeing her blithely unbuttoning her shirt right in front of him, Zero found it difficult to breathe. But seeing her pause like that made him stop breathing completely. Somehow, he knew what she was going to say before she even said it.

"Oh dear, my top… it's still… on my… bed…" Yuuki said, eyes large and apologetic.

Which meant she wasn't wearing anything underneath… which meant she couldn't take off her shirt… which meant he was just going to end up frustrated again tonight. Zero closed his eyes and exhaled loudly, causing Yuuki to regard him with worried eyes. "Just give me half a minute, I'll be right back…" she said, uncrossing her legs and placing both feet on the floor on either side of the chair, preparing to stand up.

"No… Forget it!" he ground out.

Yuuki opened her mouth to argue but shut it again upon seeing the frustrated and stubborn look on his face. She thought for a moment then tossed her head slightly. "All right" she said softly. Zero didn't notice that small movement. His eyes were on her hands and he clenched his own into tight fists as he saw her fingers moving again, knowing she was buttoning up her shirt but still unable to stop watching with a kind of fatalistic resignation on his face.

Only to be completely astounded at her next words:

"Promise… not to… peek?"

Her hands moved to the third button, then paused as she waited nervously for his response. Frozen, he just stared at her disbelievingly. "What…?" he whispered finally.

Almost defiantly, Yuuki held his gaze, warm color flooding her cheeks, fingers trembling slightly as she slipped the third button free, then moved to the last button. She paused for a heartbeat before slipping it free as well.

Zero swallowed hard.

Yuuki's suddenly nerveless hands dropped to her lap. The front of her loose pajama shirt hung agape and the two inch gap revealed only one thing to Zero – she really wasn't wearing anything underneath…

Zero dragged his gaze back up to her face. She held his gaze fearlessly. His own was uncertain… hesitant… He moved closer to the desk. Yuuki started to get up from the chair again but a hand on her shoulder stayed her and she looked up at him in surprise, silky auburn hair brushing the back of his hand, cheeks still warm with color.

"No… don't get up…" he said huskily.

Yuuki settled down again, eyes widening even further as he carefully lifted a leg across and lowered himself onto the little space remaining on the seat of the chair behind her. She opened her mouth to protest… and instead found herself sliding forward to give him more room, hands gripping the top of the chair's back. He sat down with his back against the edge of his desk, straddling the chair, long legs on either side of hers, then slid forward until his hips touched hers lightly.

With Zero's breathing loud in her ear, she felt his long fingers threading through her hair, tilting her head to the right, exposing the left side of her neck this time.

Yuuki willed herself to relax, staring straight at the door, color still high in her cheeks as a lean finger hooked her shirt collar, drawing it very slowly away from the left side of her neck, exposing inch after inch of creamy smooth neck and shoulder. Warmed satin whispered as it slid over her skin and his uneven breaths of warm air following it made her breath hitch in her throat.

Finally, the collar and left side of her shirt slid down her shoulder and upper arm to pool softly at her elbow. Yuuki closed her eyes for a moment - her left breast was completely exposed and she was still facing the door, never mind the fact that it was locked! Ooohhh… Her cheeks flamed anew and she let out a very soft sound, somewhere between a gasp and a moan.

"Hush…" Zero whispered soothingly, eyes roving slowly, almost longingly up her naked arm, traversing the softly rounded triangle of exposed shoulder and back, over one slender shoulder blade, feeling his heartbeat accelerate into overtime.

"I promise…" he whispered into her ear.

Closing his eyes, he lowered his head to her shoulder, breathing in her sweet scent, tongue darting out to taste her neck, feeling her shiver in response. His own body trembling almost violently with need, he snaked his left arm tightly around her waist, holding her against him as he drew back his lips. Unable to wait any longer, he sank gleaming fangs into the tender flesh at the base of her neck, feeling her muscles tense for an instant.

Aaahhh… he could slake his thirst at last… and feed on her sweet, sweet blood. Sucking hard and gulping down the precious liquid, he shuddered with pleasure and relief, oblivious to everything else.

Yuuki closed her eyes as well, gripping the back of the chair with her right hand. She leant back against him, left hand reaching up to twine slender fingers through his hair, caressing the back of his neck. Zero's left arm tightened around her waist, his bare arm moving dangerously close to the lower curve of her left breast as he drank, angling her head even more to allow him better access to her neck.

Yuuki opened dazed eyes when Zero stopped gulping down her blood, quickly and ravenously at first, then more slowly as he came to his senses and realised he was taking too much from her. He stopped, a part of him deeply thankful that instead of pulling away, she was leaning against him trustingly.

In truth, Yuuki was feeling very sleepy and more than a little dizzy as well. She stifled a yawn and leant further back against Zero's warm chest, feeling his body bend slightly, then brace itself to take her weight.

Zero licked the remaining blood from her neck and pressed his tongue to the puncture wounds to stop the flow. Reluctantly, she let go of the back of the chair, reaching over with her right hand to pull up the left side of her shirt. Zero released her waist to stay her hand but his palm brushed over her left breast accidentally, making them both freeze for a moment. "Uh…" stammered Yuuki, her body tensing against his.

"Sorry…" he muttered, snatching his hand away. He saw her about to get up and placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Wait, Yuuki…"

He slid out from behind her and went over to the sink at the corner of his room. Running a washcloth under the tap, he wrung it out then walked back, forcing his eyes to focus only on her face, seeing how her eyes stared fixedly in front of her, cheeks still flooded with color. Wordlessly, he sat down on the chair behind her as before and gently wiped off the remaining faint smears of blood at her neck and shoulder. Yuuki dipped her head, shivering a little as the cold washcloth glided over her skin, raising goose bumps.

She almost always knew what to say after he drank from her but this time, she didn't…

Zero shot a slightly worried glance at her bowed head, wondering if she was all right, if he'd taken too much from her or if she was just embarrassed over her rash action of undressing in front of him. He bent closer to her neck, noticing the slight discoloration blossoming around the twin wounds and sighed, sliding gentle fingers over the broken skin. Yuuki drew in a shaky breath at his feather-light touch on the sensitised area.

"You're going to end up with some bruises… sorry…" he murmured. Yuuki swung around to face him, silky auburn strands brushing his face. The regret and guilt in his voice was also reflected in his eyes. He held her look for a moment before looking again at her neck, checking to make sure there were no more bloodstains on her skin, then tossing the stained washcloth on the desk.

Words came to her then. "It's OK, Zero" she said gently. "I know you were really… starving…"

He stared unseeingly at the washcloth for a long moment before surveying her grimly. "That's no excuse and you know it…"

"I'm sorry you had to wait so long…" she continued, hesitated then continued "… and I shouldn't have laughed, really I shouldn't have…"

As if unable to face the compassion in her eyes, he looked at her neck again, then bent suddenly, licking the wounded area with infinite gentleness. Yuuki closed her eyes, shivering once more at his touch, wanting him to wrap his arms around her like he inevitably did…

The Chairman's voice outside Zero's door took them completely by surprise. "Zero…! Your light's on, are you still awake? It's midnight, you know…"

They both froze, Yuuki inhaling sharply, feeling Zero's lips on her neck, his hands tightening painfully on her waist. He raised his head to look into her alarmed brown eyes, feeling a sense of _déjà vu _coming on…

"It's your room…" whispered Yuuki. Zero grimaced, remembering their conversation in her room that morning. He opened his mouth to speak but came up with blank. What the hell was he supposed to say? He was shirtless and holding a Yuuki in _dishabille_, with half her shirt off, licking her neck, for goodness sake…

"Zero…!" whispered Yuuki, her tone almost pleading. He took a steadying breath then spoke up. "I'm reading a little first". Good – he even managed to sound mildly irritated. "Goodnight, Chairman" he added dismissively, for good measure.

"Is that any way for my son to address me? Whatever happened to 'Father'?" the Chairman said plaintively, sounding aggrieved. Zero rolled his eyes at the door. Yuuki caught his look out of the corner of her eye. Pressed close to her back as he was, he felt a ripple shiver through her and instinctively knew she was about to giggle.

"Hush!" he warned, clamping his right hand over her mouth. Just in time - Yuuki's body started shaking with suppressed mirth. He couldn't for the life of him see the funny side of things the way she did, but his lips tilted up despite himself. "Yuuki…" he whispered warningly into her ear, only to have her shaking harder in response.

Hearing no reply, the Chairman sighed loudly. "Well, don't read too long, then. Yuuki must be sleeping already, no reply from her… Goodnight, Zero…" His footsteps faded down the corridor.

Yuuki sobered up after a while and Zero cautiously removed his hand from her mouth. "Thank goodness I remembered to lock my room door…" she murmured, patting the key in her pocket.

Zero raised his head from her shoulder. Automatically, her right hand moved again to pull up the left side of her shirt. He placed his left hand over hers, trapping it against her stomach, being extra careful not to touch anything else this time. "Let me do it…" he murmured in her ear.

Zero placed her hand back in her lap then slid the shirt back up in place. He quickly redid up the buttons from the back without looking, fully aware of a stunned Yuuki looking down at his hands on her shirt. Then, he half stood up and reached over to snag his pajama shirt from the end of the bed. Shrugging quickly into it, he buttoned it halfway up his chest.

Unable to resist, he sat down again and hugged Yuuki's slender body close to his, one arm going around her shoulders above her breasts, the other around her waist. He rested his chin on her head, rocking her very slightly in his arms. Yuuki sighed and leaned back against him again, letting him take her weight fully. He let out a breath he wasn't aware he was holding and tightened his arms around her in response.

Five minutes later, Yuuki's gentle snore told Zero she was asleep. Reluctantly, he lifted his head, shaking her shoulder slightly. "Yuuki?" No response. Another shake on her shoulder failed to wake her as well. Sighing soundlessly, he retrieved the key from her pocket, stood up and carefully slid out from behind her, then lifted her effortlessly into his arms.

This is getting to be a habit… he thought wryly. Cradling her sleeping form carefully against his chest, he carried her to her room, shifting her slightly in his arms to open first his door before striding down the corridor to her room. Somewhat awkwardly, he thrust the key into her doorknob, unlocked it then entered her room, nudging it shut with his foot.

Zero walked over to her bed and placed Yuuki gently down with her head on her pillow, the light from the streetlamp outside her window illuminating her sweetly sleeping face. This time, she didn't resist when he slid his arms out from under her. Reaching for her blanket, he carefully pulled it up over her, wanting nothing more than to slide into bed beside her, and sleep with her in his arms.

Unable to stop himself, Zero sat down silently beside her and bent forward slowly. He smoothed aside the shiny hair from her forehead before placing a gentle kiss on her temple. "Goodnight, Yuuki…" he whispered.

Straightening up, he froze when her eyes blinked open to regard him sleepily.

"Yuuki – you're awake?"

She smiled a little. "When you opened my door…" she confessed softly.

"Uh – sorry. Well, you should sleep…" he started to stand up but paused when Yuuki lifted herself onto her elbow. "C'mere…" she said softly. Zero bent closer, looking somewhat puzzled. He was stunned when she reached up to cup a hand around his neck, pulling him even closer. Soft lips pressed a kiss on his cheek as she whispered "Goodnight, Zero…"

He lifted his head, looking adorably uncertain and paused for a moment, irresolute. Large brown eyes regarded him silently, reading his thoughts.

"Zero, do you want to sleep here?" she asked softly. He started – how did she always seem to know what he was thinking? He stared at her mutely, even thought all he had to do was nod… but he didn't have to do even that - Yuuki smiled and shifted closer to the wall. "Come on…" she invited.

Heart thumping for no reason, Zero turned and lowered himself onto her pillow, sliding his legs under her blanket. She hesitated a moment before turning her back towards him and shifting until her head rested on his shoulder. Zero placed his right arm over her waist and drew her close to him, releasing a sigh of satisfaction, hearing her echoing sigh. He smiled when he felt her lace her fingers through his, then buried his face in her hair.

When Zero awoke next, it was almost dawn. Yuuki was facing him, her face tucked into his shoulder, her small hand lying trustingly on his chest. He sighed and buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply before sliding reluctantly from her bed and her soft sweet scent, knowing it was just too risky for him to remain there.

At the door, he turned to glance back at her once more before he left, shutting it quietly behind him.

-- Chapter End --


	7. Chap 04: Manga Chapter 23

**Author Notes: **Chapter 23... just my take on what happened in the kitchen when Yuuki cut her finger. I know it occurs before the bathtub scene from Chapter 27 which I did in my Chapter 1 but I think it should not be too much of a problem, right?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters or the manga or even the story here since it's taken from Chapter 23… just tried to… embellish it a little! Enjoy… and drop me a review if you like it… or even if you don't!

-- Chapter Start --

Zero was at the kitchen sink, running water over the soiled dishes Yuuki had brought in earlier. He commended himself on having sufficient control earlier to place the plate of food he'd just prepared in front of Aido instead of merely dumping its contents on the tousled blond curls of the aristocratic vampire. He congratulated himself for not betraying the fact that he had in fact heard the tail end of the conversation between Yuuki and Aido.

_Even if I'm betrayed. It's okay._

You may not mind, Yuuki… but I do! he thought fiercely to himself. And I will kill anybody who betrays you… or even tries to…

Scowling, he grabbed the bottle of washing up liquid and squirted a generous amount of the green liquid into a bowl.

CRASH!

The empty plate slipped from Yuuki's fingers and shattered on the kitchen floor. She stared down at it, for a moment feeling like she was again ten years old and had just smashed yet another piece of crockery. Uh oh, what would Father say?

Yuuki bit her lip, shaking her head hard to clear that memory. For heaven's sake, that was five years ago! Get a grip, she told herself.

Zero started when he heard the crash. He was so caught up in his thoughts, he hadn't heard Yuuki walk into the kitchen. He glanced around to see her crouching down in front of the broken pieces of a plate on the floor, then turned back to the sink without comment. He had a pretty decent idea of what made her drop it even though dropping crockery wasn't exactly a new hobby for Yuuki.

She was sure Zero had heard part if not all, of what was said. He'd smiled a little earlier back in the kitchen when he told her not to worry but when he came to the dining room after that, his expression was like a thundercloud as he set the plate of food down hard in front of Aido and stalked back to the kitchen without a word.

I can't help but worry about Zero, she thought. Even though he doesn't want me to… it's just not fair! And I can't believe what I just confessed what Kaname meant to me, and to Aido the playboy vampire, of all people...!

A flush rose in her cheeks, and she ducked her head, not wanting Zero to see. Quickly, she reached for the largest shard on the floor but miscalculated its distance from her hand. The jagged edge of the shard sliced open the tip of her left index finger.

Drops of blood welled up from the cut on Yuuki's finger and dripped onto the broken piece she had tried to pick up.

_"Oww..."_

Almost fascinated, Yuuki stared at another drop of blood welling up on her finger, forgetting for a moment there was a vampire just two feet away from her and another one outside in the living room...

Zero reached for the washing sponge by the sink only to drop it a second later. He heard her exclamation of pain almost the same time his sensitive nose picked up the scent of Yuuki's blood. It tickled his vampire senses…

He swung around to face Yuuki, who was still staring at her cut finger.

"_Don't touch them anymore. Now…"_ he warned. Dammit, Yuuki, Aido was in the living room!

Yuuki looked up.

"_Wait."_

She could tell he was hungry… starving in fact. He had thrown her out of his room yesterday when she tried to give him her blood to help his wounded leg to heal. He'd refused of course. She had even gone as far as to bite his neck with her small teeth. Fair's fair, after all… it hadn't worked.

"_Just go."_

She had caught a glimpse of his pale face, set and resolute, before the door slammed in her face.

And that night, when he fought off the vampire sent by the Senior Council, she could see the effort it'd cost him, how he'd almost collapsed on his knees then. If Kaname and the other Night Class students hadn't come to their aid…

Even now, glaring down at her, she could see the blood hue blossoming in his eyes and hear his quickened breathing. Holding his gaze, she got to her feet. Slowly, she held up her bleeding hand towards him.

Zero inhaled sharply, nostrils dilating at the scent of her sweet, sweet blood only inches away. His chest started heaving, he could feel his fangs starting to grow… Even though it made his senses reel, he stubbornly refused to look at her hand. Go away, Yuuki…

"_Lick it."_

Her voice was soft, almost a whisper but he heard both words with startling clarity. They rang in his ears and echoed in his brain. His breath caught. Wordlessly he held her gaze a moment longer, then he reached out with his left hand. Even without looking, his long fingers closed unerringly over hers. He brought it up to his lips. Aido was forgotten.

Eyes closing in anticipation, fangs extending even further, he slipped her bleeding finger into his mouth, closing his lips around its base. Aaahhh… the sweetness of her blood… it was… maddening… His tongue swiped at her finger, licking it clean and he sucked gently on the cut before slowly removing it from his mouth, sliding it past his lips, one of his fangs grazing on the side of her finger. It was long… and the pointed ends were needle-sharp.

_Ah… Zero's… fangs… I felt it._

Watching him take her finger into his mouth, Yuuki blushed. And blushed harder when she felt his tongue glide over her finger. And squirmed when he closed his lips around her finger as he slid it out… That felt… she didn't really know how to describe it, only it made her breath hitch and heartbeat speed up...

Zero's fingers clenched suddenly on her hand, his breathing sounding laboured as he bent forward and clutched at his chest with his right hand, fingers curling tightly into the front of his sweater. I… can't… he thought desperately.

"_No. Don't deny it."_

She spoke urgently. Even angrily. He glanced at her then, pain and need warring in his eyes. Somehow, he wasn't surprised that she almost always… knew just what he was thinking.

"Only I know that Zero is starving…"

"Yuuki…" he gasped. Why did she always know so much about him? He grasped her cut hand with his right, pulling it closer to his face again, the cuff of her long sleeve getting in the way.

Yuuki knew she'd won. She kept her left hand limp in his grasp and her gaze steady on his, wishing she could absorb his pain.

_His heart is "hurting". Zero should smile, too _she thought sadly.

Intertwining long lean fingers with her own slender ones, he brought her hand up even closer to his lips. Yuuki felt the quick puffs of his breath warm the sensitive skin on her wrist with the charmed bracelet adorning it. With his left hand, he slowly slid the cuff of her sleeve together with her bracelet further down her arm. She waited, hardly breathing.

She expected him to bite her then… it would be the first time she could actually see him 'in action' so to speak… after all, he'd always drunk from her neck before, that was physically impossible to witness first hand unless you used mirrors… she got sidetracked for a moment. Then she realised that Zero had hesitated, perhaps thinking the very same thing.

Could I let her see me do this? he wondered uneasily, looking down at her wrist. That was a mistake - the skin on Yuuki's wrist was pale and almost translucent, a perfect background that showcased her delicate blue green veins with startling clarity. He could sense her pulse, practically feel it pumping fresh blood to her hand and fingers. He felt his fangs extend fully, and he drew another pained breath. I… want it… now…

Yuuki stopped breathing completely when she saw his lips pull back to reveal long pointed gleaming fangs. She stared transfixed as his fingers tightened even more on hers and his fangs sank into her wrist.

"_Ugh!"_ It was a groan… of heartfelt relief as Zero started to suck the precious liquid into his parched mouth.

"_Ow…"_ Yuuki squeezed her eyes shut for a moment as his fangs pierced her tender flesh and the dull pain traveled up her arm. Gosh, that really stung… I didn't know my wrist is even more sensitive than my neck, she thought, mildly surprised.

Blood trickled slowly down her arm. She opened her eyes, noting the rivulets dripping over her bracelet as Zero drank. Then she glanced up at him. Sweat beaded on his forehead and dripped down one lean cheek.

_What does Zero mean to me? _she wondered yet again. She could see the blood glow in his eyes and she knew she should be scared. But she wasn't… because this was Zero, the boy she'd known for four years now, the one person who knew her inside out… he was a part of her…

Even as a thrill almost of apprehension traveled down her spine, she just could not look away. His gaze was so… intense… but unguarded. His expression was fierce… but vulnerable.

It was a fascinating study in contradiction, and one that held her attention and begged her to decipher its mystery. He looked like he was caught doing something he shouldn't have… but at the same time, couldn't stop himself either from going right ahead and doing it.

I shouldn't want this… but I do… his look told her, almost daring her to say something. But she didn't. She could see the anguish in his eyes. It arrested her. Hot tears pricked her eyes but she didn't let them fall this time.

Unnoticed by them, Aido was leaning against the kitchen door jamb, arms folded loosely in front of him. He was highly affronted of course - didn't that Cross girl just said she didn't mind being betrayed by Kaname-sama?? How could she do this, and to _him_, of all people. He was also tempted - after all, he knew her blood was delicious. But most of all, he was surprised – does she really care for that upstart vampire hunter turned vampire, and… and…

"_Humph!"_ He tossed his head impatiently, then swung around before they noticed his presence. _"Such a nuisance. What was that."_

As he strode back to the living room, Aido found himself thinking of Kiriyu again. What the hell… He exhaled sharply, throwing both arms up in the air. "_Why am I worried over him!? I'm worried about Kaname-sama._

As Aido threw himself on the sofa again, the scene he witnessed came unbidden to his mind again. He sighed. _It was a good smell… Absolutely._

Zero felt the painful wound on his leg heal. He stopped drinking and tore his gaze away from hers, staring unseeingly at the wall but his lips were still closed on her wrist, tongue absently licking the puncture wounds. He still felt… like he'd been caught doing something naughty… even though what they did went somewhat beyond stealing cookies… or playing truant…

Yuuki blinked. Her arm was getting tired and her fingers, although still interlaced with Zero's own warm ones, were cold and on pins and needles after being held up and deprived of oxygen rich blood. She was suddenly aware of her surroundings and realised the kitchen was… well, not a really appropriate place to do this sort of thing… I mean, the door wasn't even closed! What was she thinking…!

Now that he'd stopped drinking, her fingers started tingling as they were replenished by blood circulation flowing unhindered again. She uttered a small gasp as Zero, who was now absently cleaning off any remaining blood on her hand, ran his tongue from her wrist, up her palm to the base of her index finger, making her shiver involuntarily. He paused, raising an eyebrow at her.

"What?" he asked. Innocently.

"Stop that!" she hissed, cheeks flushed, trying to pull her hand back but failing.

Zero smirked. Holding her hand a little more tightly, he brought it up to his mouth again and ran the tip of his tongue lightly on the same path – starting at her wrist, up her palm, to the base of her index finger but this time, continuing onto the oh-so-sensitive skin connecting her index and middle fingers.

"Ooohhh…" Yuuki shivered, closing her eyes for a moment.

"Like that, do you?" Zero murmured, a wicked glint in his amused eyes now.

Yuuki's eyes snapped open. If looks could kill…

"Zero!" she hissed at him again, yanking on her arm. He resisted, exerting just the right amount of pressure to hold her hand captive in his without hurting her. "I haven't quite finished cleaning up yet…" he told her lightly, almost… haughtily.

"Zero! Please… stop… t-that…" she said jerkily, closing her eyes and inhaling sharply between each word as he turned her palm over and lavished attention on her other fingers, taking each into his mouth in turn even though they were completely free of bloodstains to begin with. Taunting amethyst eyes looked down at her as he inserted each trembling finger into his mouth, sliding it past his lips and running his tongue down its length, taking care to draw his tongue slowly over the sensitive skin at its base before slowly releasing it from the wet warmth of his mouth, enjoying the sight of Yuuki squirming helplessly, eyes wide, small mouth parted in an oval of surprise.

"Ooohhh…" Yuuki moaned softly, almost to herself. She drew in a shaky breath.

Zero heard it and it created another hunger in him… but it wasn't motivated by blood. A sudden urge to hear her breath hitching like that again, only he would cause it by other ways and means…

He pressed a soft kiss into the equally soft palm of her small hand, unable to resist touching his tongue to it before sliding it up to cup it against his cheek.

Touched beyond words, a silent tear slipped down Yuuki's cheek. It brought Zero to his senses. Dammit, what was he thinking…!

He scowled and dropped her hand suddenly, all light heartedness gone from his face now. "This isn't such a good idea…" he muttered, frowning.

Yuuki let her arm drop back at her side, resisting the urge to look at her tingling hand. She could feel his saliva drying on her still trembling fingers and the knowledge raised goose bumps on her arms.

How dare he… play with her feelings… like that? She swept the palm of her other hand over the telltale dampness on her cheek, swallowed hard and took a deep steadying breath.

"Well! I'm glad you finally realised that!" she informed him stormily, eyes sparking with temper. She swung around, wanting to head off to her bedroom to cool down and look for a band aid. She would deal with the fact that it hadn't been completely… unpleasant… later. Much later.

"Yuuki – wait…!" Zero took two long strides forward, laying his palms on her shoulders, effectively stopping her in her tracks.

"What?" she bit out, not looking at him. Her shoulders were tense under his palms.

He swung her around easily to face him, causing auburn strands to swing lightly around her face, releasing its sweet fragrance. Releasing his grip on her shoulders, he slid both hands forward until his lower arms rested on her shoulders. He leant his forehead lightly against hers. "Thank you…" he said simply, completely serious this time.

Yuuki glared into his eyes, frowning as she tried her hardest to remain angry with him, only to have a smile reluctantly tilting her lips upwards only moments later. A rueful chuckle escaped him as he pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on her hair.

"Oh, Yuuki…" he sighed into her hair, feeling her arms move around him to hold him tighter. What am I going to do with you…?

They stood together in silence for long moments before he spoke again.

"Did you like me taking… it… from your wrist?" he asked quietly, almost uncertainly. Then, as she stood there stunned into silence – he'd never asked this one before!, he continued hesitantly "… or do you prefer… from your neck…?"

Yuuki pulled back to look at him. "Neck" she said. Decisively. Succinctly. There was a distinct look of warning in her brown eyes.

He looked back at her, still serious but with an amused glint in his eyes.

"That's a shame" he murmured. "The flow in your wrist is less… certainly, but somehow more… rewarding…" he teased her.

He wasn't disappointed. It was Yuuki who scowled this time as she jerked herself free from his embrace, spun around and practically ran off to her bedroom.

She completely missed the heartwarming sight of Zero looking at her with a tender smile on his lips, shaking his head slightly.

Well, he was left to clean up the broken plate as well as the dirty dishes now… but even as Zero crouched down to pick up the broken pieces of crockery, he felt it was worth it. Definitely worth it.

-- Chapter End --


	8. Chap 05: All Souls Day Part 1

**Author Notes: **Well, enough of being within the compounds of the prestigious Cross Academy, I thought it would be a nice change of scenery if our hero and heroine went out-of-doors, although:  
- I'm not good at describing places/backgrounds so I've made them 'general' instead of specific places/towns/cities, etc. _-sweatdrops-_  
- The All Souls Day here refers to the one in Japan and not necessarily the Catholic one but my apologies if my words in any way offend any culture/religions/persons, I just needed an occasion to set the scene!

Also, Chairman Cross has been getting short shrift in my previous chapter, LOL! It would be nice if he showed a bit more... er... maturity?

Finally, just realised I write a lot about Zero's and Yuuki's hands. Well, Matsuri Sensei draws them so beautifully, I just can't resist! _-sighs dreamily while thinking of Zero's hands-_

OK, on to the story, it's gonna be a 3 parter though... so be warned! _-evil grin-_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters or the manga. Well, who would believe me if I said I did?!

-- Chapter Start --

Zero opened his eyes to bright sunlight streaming through his bedroom window. He tensed, thinking he'd overslept, before remembering it was Saturday, when classes started at ten in the morning. After a second, he realised there wouldn't even be any classes today...

The fact that it was also going to be a sunny morning brought no pleasure to Zero as he flopped back onto his pillow. He thought about where he was going to go, and his throat tightened slightly in remembered grief and pain. And he would be going alone, which meant he wouldn't have Yuuki to bicker with or even her endless chatter to distract him. For a moment, he frowned, wondering when he'd ceased to think of her chatter as 'irritating'...

Sighing, he got up and dragged his duffel bag off the top of his cupboard, tossing it onto his desk chair and unzipping it. He started picking out a change of clothing from the cupboard, his customary frown in place.

Half a minute later, his keen hearing had picked up the sound of light footsteps approaching his room. Even with the door closed, he knew who it was.

Yuuki tapped cursorily on Zero's door before opening it, without bothering to wait for a reply. It was a privilege she didn't even think about... nor, being Yuuki, did she ever ponder the fact that Zero never did the same thing back to her.

She poked her head around the door and looked in surprise at the opened bag on his chair. "Zero? Where are you going?"

Zero folded a T shirt and placed it in the bag before glancing at her. "Out" he said briefly, knowing the answer was sure to rile her. His expressionless face didn't let on that his heart had warmed at the sight of Yuuki with shiny auburn hair framing her heart shaped face, large soft chocolate eyes and small mouth that always seemed to be holding the hint of a smile. He inhaled slowly and quietly, his keen sense of smell picking out the soft sweet scent that was Yuuki's alone…

"Out _where_?" asked Yuuki, taking care to be more specific this time. She knew that Zero was being deliberately vague just to rile her...

He looked down at his bag, fingers suddenly clenching on the towel in his hands. "It's All Souls' Day, remember?" he asked softly.

Yuuki's mouth formed a silent 'O'. How could she have forgotten? That was the reason why all of the Day and Night Class students had gone home this weekend – to visit their ancestors' graves with their families for the yearly ritual of prayers and offerings. All the Day Class students had left Cross Academy after classes ended early yesterday - Zero and Yuuki had made sure of that – and some of the Night Class students as well, after their classes ended later. The remaining ones were departing this morning.

She'd never followed Zero before on his two day trip out of town; the Chairman used to when Zero first came to live with them four years ago. Then, as Zero grew older and more independent, he went alone and he preferred it that way. But that was before... before she knew what he was... the torment he went through each day... living under the curse a pureblood bestowed on a descendent of a family of proud vampire hunters...

She tossed her head. "I'm going with you this time..." she spoke almost even before she'd realised what she intended to do. The minute the words were out of her mouth, however, Yuuki knew they were true. She truly wanted to accompany him this time… the visit would be a painful one that would tear open wounds that would never fully heal, and she didn't want him to be alone with only his bittersweet memories for company. She also constantly worried about what he was thinking or what he would do if she wasn't there to keep an eye on him. Although... he at least knew where his slain parents lay, she still had no idea about hers... Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she waited for Zero's reply, prepared to argue if he said…

"No" said Zero shortly, despite the fact he'd just admitted to himself he would miss Yuuki's company. He'd miss her bubbly personality and infectious giggles that would occur at the most inopportune moments, and he of all people should know that, especially since one such occurrence had taken place in this very room a couple of weeks ago, on the very chair he was now staring at, in fact.

"Please, Zero" she wheedled, tilting her head to offer him a winning smile. "There's no one else here except the Chairman and some of the teachers... I'll be bored stiff!"

Oh, so _that _was why she wanted to accompany him? Slightly deflated, he said "You could always do more Math, you know… try to bring up your grades..." and faint amusement lurked in the amethyst eyes that watched Yuuki blush and purse her lips in irritation. But she didn't rise to the bait this time. Instead, she sighed before admitting reluctantly "Actually, I want to be with you, Zero..."

Zero stared at her, then ruthlessly squashed the small surge of happiness that blossomed in his heart. He raised a disbelieving eyebrow instead. "Really..."

"Yes, really!"

Zero continued to stare at her. What was so fun about accompanying a grumpy and sullen person who annoyed people with his monosyllabic answers, if at all, and intimidated them with his icy glare and perpetual frown? he wondered. And that was before you added the fact that he was also a vampire who was allergic to blood tablets, requiring him to drink her blood whenever the bloodlust overtook him...

He opened his mouth to say no for the second time but sighed instead when he saw Yuuki toss her head again, hands already on hips, ready for battle. "Go see what your dear father says first"

Yuuki lost her aggressive stance immediately and beamed at Zero, making him blink – she really was something else...

"He'll say yes, I'll make sure he does!" she said before skipping off in search of the Chairman. And she would, too.

Zero continued packing his bag, shaking his head slightly, already knowing what the outcome would be.

When he heard her quick footsteps outside his open door once more, he spoke without looking up as he opened the cylinder of his Bloody Rose gun and checked that it was fully loaded – he never went anywhere without it, especially outside the Academy. "Go pack a change of clothes, we're only coming back tomorrow..." He glanced at the door to see Yuuki grinning at him again and giving the thumbs up sign before she went to her room. "And don't forget your toothbrush..." he called after her.

Zero closed and latched the cylinder, then slipped the gun into his coat pocket, feeling the surge of happiness in his heart that he wasn't going to be alone, at least for this year's trip.

- o -

The train trip to the outskirts of the city was mostly uneventful, the weather cool enough to warrant a jacket. Yuuki, eyes glowing with excitement over the train trip, practically dragged a taciturn Zero along the station, looking for their train. She and Zero were both dressed in jeans and sneakers, but while Zero wore a plain black T-shirt, Yuuki had on a long sleeved shirt and matching white jeans jacket that contrasted sharply with Zero's long black leather coat that swung around his knees as he walked.

An hour later, the novelty of a rare outing away from Cross Academy and traveling by train had worn off a little. The interior of the comfortable train held rows of twin seats on either side of the carpeted aisle. They were both sitting on the left side of the train, Zero beside the window and Yuuki on his right. She dozed off after a while, her head dropping onto his arm. Absently, he shifted closer to her and positioned her head more comfortably against him as he looked out the window on his left, lost in his memories.

At the next stop, a family with two young children boarded the train, rousing Yuuki with their excited chatter. As the family settled down in the two rows of empty seats directly in front of them, Zero almost automatically stiffened, left hand flipping up the collar of his coat, hiding the tattoo emblazoned high up on his neck. Yuuki noticed the movement out of the corner of her eye. She knew why he didn't want people to see his tattoo, although most would not realise its significance even if they did.

The train continued on its journey and Yuuki leaned closer to Zero, resting her cheek against his arm, her eyes drifting shut once more. She felt Zero's arm jerk slightly and opened her eyes again to see him clutch suddenly at the dark markings on his neck, eyes squeezing shut as he inhaled sharply.

"Zero… is it hurting again?" she asked softly.

He exhaled slowly, before staring frowningly out the window, not seeing the scenery that flashed past. His left hand continued to massage his neck. "No..."

"Liar..."

Zero removed his hand from his neck reluctantly, meeting her all too knowing look. "Well, it - " he began before being interrupted by the boy who occupied the seat in front of Yuuki. Head popping up suddenly over the back of his seat, he stared with childish wonder at Zero. "Wow, that's a cool tattoo, mister!" he piped up. Zero froze, fixing the precocious youngster with an icy glare that could've given Aido a run for his money...

The child's mother sitting on the other seat in front of Zero half got up to peer over her shoulder. Encountering Zero's glacial stare, she immediately hushed her son, pulling him back down on his seat before smiling and bowing apologetically at both of them. Yuuki smiled and nodded tentatively, accepting the lady's apology on Zero's behalf.

"He didn't – he's just a child..." she said softly. Zero's hand was covering his tattoo again, jaw clenched tight as he gazed unseeingly out the window again.

"Hey, Zero?"

"Just – just leave it, OK?!" he ground out harshly.

Yuuki tensed, staring at him, large brown eyes registering hurt even though she knew he didn't really mean it.

Zero closed his eyes for a moment before exhaling loudly. He glanced at her. "Sorry" he said softly. "I – I just – " he broke off awkwardly, looking out of the window again.

Sudden tears pricked Yuuki's eyes. She shifted in her seat, turning towards him. Reaching up with her right hand, she gently pulled his hand aside before covering his tattoo with her own soft palm. Startled, he glanced down at her. She was regarding him silently, compassion glowing in her tear filled eyes. He placed his hand over hers, interlacing long lean fingers with slender feminine ones as he continued to hold her gaze, drinking in the gentle understanding in her eyes that told him she'd forgiven him his harsh words of a few seconds ago. They both knew her touch could soothe the sudden tearing pain that occasionally surfaced in his neck, and she watched in relief as his shoulders slowly relaxed.

After a minute, he brought both their hands down onto his lap, absently playing with her slender fingers before placing her hand palm down in his much larger one. "You have small hands, Yuuki..." he commented suddenly before interlacing his fingers once more with hers and holding both their hands up. "See?"

She looked up from their joined hands to frown at him. "It's because I'm short and you don't have to rub it in, you know, every part of me is small!" she muttered crossly, partly to cover her astonishment that Zero was still holding her hand, it was usually the other way around.

Zero raised an eyebrow at her. "Not every part..."

When her eyebrows shot up in surprise at his unexpected words, he continued in a lowered voice "... your eyes, for example..."

Yuuki stared at him in astonishment.

"Your caring heart..." his voice dropped even lower. At his words, her eyes grew even larger.

"And your... er..." he broke off.

"What?" asked Yuuki, almost bursting with curiosity.

"You know..." he glanced at her chest meaningfully then looked back at her.

Large eyes widened still further – he didn't think it possible - and color exploded in Yuuki's cheeks as his glance reminded her of what happened last time in the bathroom when her towel had slipped off and how she'd reacted to his intimate touch. She knew from the intent look in his eyes that he remembered every detail of that incident as well.

Yuuki dropped her gaze, trying to tug her hand free. He anticipated her move and tightened his hold, regarding her flushed cheeks with faint amusement lurking in his eyes. When she tried tugging her hand again, he said softly "Hey, I'm serious..."

She stopped tugging then and looked up. "You're not small, you're perfect... in every way..." he confessed reluctantly, his intent gaze holding hers.

Yuuki stared at him, lips parted in surprise. He'd never said that before…what did he actually mean...?

Zero started and released her hand. He seemed to think he'd said too much and turned to look out the window again. Yuuki took her hand back, still staring at him.

She forgot about the incident however, when they got down from the train an hour later and exited the train station. "I'm starving, can we eat first?" she asked, looking around her with interest as they started walking past numerous shops, shouldering their bags.

"Yeah"

They could afford any of the smarter cafes as the Chairman was usually generous with their allowance on their rare trips out of the academy, as a sort of reward for the tedious and thankless task of being school prefects.

"Oohh, let's eat here!" exclaimed Yuuki as they walked past a café that had a banner strung across their doorway, proclaiming famous chocolate sundaes and ice-creams. She grabbed Zero's hand and tried to pull him into the doorway. A smiling waitress appeared almost instantly, bowing in welcome and gesturing for them to come in but Zero resisted, not having a sweet tooth. His keen eyes quickly scanned an open copy of the menu taped to the front glass window. "Well... OK" he relented after noting several noodle-based dishes available.

Zero spoke little in public. Thoroughly used to this, Yuuki prattled on in her usual manner as she made her way through a plate of fried noodles and a succession of chocolate sundaes, pouncing on the glazed cherry nestled on a bed of whipped cream the moment the sundae reached their table and smacking her lips in almost childish delight. Zero opted for black coffee after his meal and regarded Yuuki with wry amusement in his eyes although he managed to keep his lips schooled most of the time.

When the third sundae arrived and Yuuki had devoured the cherry, however, he scowled in mock annoyance.

"Jeez, you really eat a lot, Yuuki" he commented as he looked at her, chin propped in one hand, his coffee mug cradled in his other hand. "That's your - what, third helping?"

Yuuki wrinkled her nose at him. "Lucky I don't get fat, huh?" was her only comment before smiling blithely at him and attacking her sundae again with gusto.

He rolled his eyes, knowing nothing he said would have any effect on her appetite for sweet desserts.

"Besides..." Yuuki paused for a moment to lick her spoon clean, distracting Zero as his eyes focused on the pink tongue she flicked out to catch a drop of chocolate syrup slowly making its way down the stainless steel handle.

She swallowed before continuing airily and none too subtly, "... besides, I need to replenish... you know, my blood..."

"Hush!" Zero hissed, amethyst eyes widening slightly in alarm as he looked around the café, checking if anyone had heard her comment before scowling at her, for real this time. Yuuki had her fingers pressed against her own lips, cool from the ice-cream, eyes wide as she realised her mistake. "Sorry" she whispered, dropping her spoon back into her sundae and missing it entirely. The spoon dropped on the table, rattling loudly against the polished wooden surface.

He fixed her with a reprimanding gaze. "I seem to remember you eating a lot, even before... that..." he said evenly, eyeing her as she squirmed in her seat. Yuuki smiled contritely at him. "Ah, you knew I was only kidding, Zero... I don't mind... really, I don't" she said softly, seeing the guilt he tried to hide.

He glanced away then and she bit her lip. Why did she always say things like that? As it was, she had to practically _force _him to drink her blood...

They sat in silence for a few seconds. "Hey, Zero?" she tried again. "I'm sorry, OK? Don't be mad at me..."

Zero looked back at her, not bothering to hide the self-disgust in his eyes this time. "What have you got to be sorry about?" he growled. As she gazed at him, tears of remorse starting to sparkle in her eyes, he relented and added softly, "You've done nothing but help me, Yuuki, it's not you who should say sorry."

"Hey, don't cry...!" he added quickly, somewhat alarmed as his words caused her eyes to overflow and twin drops of tears to slip down her cheeks.

Yuuki inhaled sharply, swiping away the dampness from her cheeks with both palms. "I won't" She smiled a little shakily at Zero and he smiled at her in relief, a small but genuine smile that tilted his lips and caused the rare dimple in his cheek to just about surface. She stared at it, conscious once again of how good Zero looked when he smiled, so different from his usual smirk...

"Just doing what a good sister ought to..." she said, her own smile faltering as her words now caused his smile to be replaced with a heavy frown. "Really?" he said shortly before raising a casual hand and signaling for the bill. He paid silently, ignoring the polite thank you from the waitress as he collected the change from her.

"Let's go" he said as he rose, shouldered his bag and made for the doorway without looking at Yuuki. She was left to snatch up her own bag and trail after him with a puzzled frown between her delicate brows, absently nodding at the polite thank you and farewell uttered by the waitress.

Yuuki sighed. She knew she'd said something wrong… but for the life of her, she didn't know what it was…

-- To Be Continued --


	9. Chap 05: All Souls Day Part 2

**Author Notes: **Part 2.

-- Continued --

Zero was still silent as they purchased return bus tickets for the half an hour trip to the memorial park. Yuuki glanced at him uneasily but decided to say nothing as they boarded the waiting bus. Perhaps he was thinking about his parents... she shouldn't disturb him if he was. She looked outside the window instead, wanting to slip her hand into his but for once, not daring to.

Zero glanced at her. She was uncharacteristically silent, perhaps thinking how rude he'd been when she'd only tried to appease him, and most likely regretting her spontaneous decision to accompany him on this trip as well. He sighed silently and looked out the window again, longing to hold her hand in his but not daring to.

As the bus turned into the imposing gates of the memorial park, Yuuki's curiosity was roused again. She looked around, seeing the beautiful surroundings that reminded her more of a beautifully kept garden instead of a typical graveyard – small gardens of lush green grass with well-tended trees and bushes contrasting with colorful flowers interspersed with well maintained sections of graveyards. In the distance, a man-made lake sparkled in the sun and small gazebos situated in each garden offered a respite from the blazing sun for visitors who wanted to sit down and rest or take in the peaceful surroundings.

"It's beautiful, huh, Zero?" asked Yuuki as she walked beside him, looking around her in wonder. He glanced at her sideways. "Yeah"

They walked on in silence in the sunshine, Zero looking at the ground, oblivious to the beauty and splashes of color in the gardens that passed, while Yuuki swung her head right and left, looking at everything she could. Zero walked on, his steps sure and confident as they made their way to a small graveyard situated on a small hill in the middle of the park, covered with both simple and elaborate tombstones, some complete with statues, winged angels and even marble arches.

When they'd reached the small cemented path leading up to the plain but imposing Kiriyu twin graves situated halfway up the hill, Yuuki stopped. She reached for Zero's bag and lifted it off his shoulder without comment. He glanced down at her for a moment, nodding his thanks before walking up the short path by himself. This area was more deserted and quiet. There was a small stone gazebo in the garden a few meters away and Yuuki gladly went into its shady interior.

She set down both their bags on the cement bench that ran alongside its stone pillars before sitting down beside them, putting her sneakered feet up and hugging her knees as she watched Zero kneel in front of the headstones, bending his proud head in prayer.

Clouds hid the sun for a moment and Yuuki looked up, noting additional dark clouds forming on the horizon. Great… just what they needed – a heavy shower. Oh well... she shrugged philosophically. The other visitors were already preparing to leave as they'd also noticed the swiftly darkening sky. She watched them idly, then glanced again at Zero. He was still kneeling before his parents' graves, unmoving.

Thunder growled softly in the distance and Yuuki eyed the dark clouds uneasily. It was a ten minute stroll back to the entrance where all the buses waited and she didn't want to get wet, knowing she was prone to fever if she did. And she could kiss any future trips with Zero goodbye if _that _happened, she thought wryly. Reluctantly, she swung her legs to the floor and stood up, stretching her arms above her head before walking out of the gazebo and starting on the cemented path towards Zero.

"Zero...?" she called softly as she neared him. He didn't give any indication that he'd heard her. She reached his side, bending down to place a tentative hand on his shoulder – it was trembling slightly, she noted with a frown. "Zero? I'm really sorry to interrupt but it's going to rain, we'd better go soon..."

He started then turned away from her, swiping both palms across his cheeks before taking a shuddering breath. Yuuki's frown deepened for an instant before her eyebrows flew up as the realisation hit her. Oh dear - surely he wasn't... wasn't... crying? she thought, shocked.

She gripped his shoulder, shaking it slightly. "Zero? Look at me!"

He shook his head violently but didn't turn around.

The wind picked up, whipping Yuuki's hair around her cheeks and flapping the hem of Zero's coat. Lightning flashed across the darkened sky, accompanied a second later by thunder. Heavy raindrops started to fall around them. Yuuki placed her fingers under his chin, firmly applying pressure until he looked up at her reluctantly. Silent tears ran unchecked from amethyst eyes awash in remembered grief and pain at the brutal slaying of his parents.

"Oh, Zero..." said Yuuki helplessly, her own eyes filling with tears. She placed both arms unhesitatingly around his trembling shoulders. He gave another shudder, then swung around towards her, still on his knees, to fling both arms around her slim waist, pressing his wet face to her shirt front. She'd unbuttoned her jacket after walking here in the sun and his hot tears quickly soaked the cotton material. Heedless, she held him closer to her as her own compassionate tears ran down her face onto his hair.

The rain started in earnest, bathing the marble headstones and cemented paths and turning them a shade darker. Within minutes, Yuuki was soaked to the skin; Zero fared slightly better as his long leather jacket kept his clothes mostly dry, although rain from his hair still dripped into his collar and the bottom of his jeans were wet.

Yuuki continued to hold him but as the lightning and thunder continued, and the rain grew heavier, she patted his hair reluctantly and pulled away slightly. "Zero?" she said, speaking over the sound of the rain. "I'm really wet, let's find some shelter..." He lifted his head then, blinking and looking around as though faintly surprised to find it raining heavily.

"Here..." Yuuki pulled him to his feet, as much as she could, and they both stumbled down the path to the gazebo, Zero's legs tingling with pins and needles after kneeling on the hard cement for some time.

Once in the gazebo, Zero sat down on the bench, the action pulling Yuuki close to him as she was still holding onto his arm. She moved unhesitatingly to stand between his long legs, wrapping her arms around him again, tucking his head against her shoulder. Still shaking silently with sobs, Zero gathered her close to him, burying his face in the curve of her neck as his tears continued to fall. He was holding her much too tightly but she didn't resist, feeling the pain and grief in the stalwart body she held in her arms that was now trembling helplessly, wishing she could take his pain unto herself as she stared unseeingly out of the gazebo at the heavy rain.

Finally, his sobs subsided somewhat. Zero had needed comfort, and he'd gotten it from Yuuki but now, his body demanded something else. Uncharacteristically weakened by his grief, holding her too close to him, breathing in her sweet scent with his face buried in her neck, it was inevitable that his bloodlust awoke, demanding to be satisfied.

Yuuki felt the change in him, pressed as close as she was. She both felt and heard the increasingly ragged pants of his breathing against her neck, how his body tightened against hers and how lean fingers squeezed the back of her jacket. He entwined his other hand in the wet tendrils of her hair, unconsciously tilting her head aside. Yuuki closed her eyes, feeling his shaky lips pressing against the pulse beating at the base of her throat, his chin nudging aside both her jacket and shirt collar.

"Zero?" she murmured. Placing her hands on either side of his face, she pulled him away from her neck. Soft brown eyes noted the crimson irises and needle sharp fangs just visible between his parted lips as he stared helplessly up at her, unable to hide both the tears still sparkling in his eyes as well as his bloodlust.

"It's OK, here..." she added gently, releasing him to quickly shrug her jacket off her shoulders, leaving it to hang down her back from her elbows. She quickly slipped the first two buttons of her shirt free and pulled the collar away from the right side of her neck, somehow knowing her pristine white shirt was going to end up with bloodstains down the front...

Zero pounced immediately on the pulse sweetly throbbing under the creamy soft wet skin, angling his head automatically to fit it into the curve of her neck. Yuuki closed her eyes, holding Zero's head against her neck, feeling the familiar twin stings as his fangs pierced her skin, heedless of the fact that half her bra was revealed as Zero's hand clutched tighter at the back of jacket and shirt, pulling her shirt askew. Warm liquid dripped past her slender collarbone towards her breast as he sucked desperately at her neck but she didn't know if it was her blood or his tears as he hadn't fully stopped crying… All she could do was to hold him close to her, feeling as if her heart would break.

Minutes ticked on as they clung to each other. Zero had stopped drinking, pressing his tongue to the twin wounds before licking off remaining drops of blood from her neck and shoulder. The sounds of his sniffling against her neck was somehow strangely disarming to Yuuki and she shivered slightly but didn't stop him as his warm tongue raced a wayward drop of blood that trickled down towards her breast. The drop of blood won, reaching her bra cup first and triumphantly soaking into it, causing a small circle of red to slowly bloom on the lace, and leaving Zero's tongue frozen on the sweetly swelling flesh above it.

Yuuki froze for a heartbeat before twining slender fingers in the rain-darkened silver hair, yanking Zero away from her breast. "Hey...!" she warned, only to realise her mistake as Zero's head was now pulled back far enough to focus on the spot where his tongue had been a second earlier.

"Sorry" said Zero rather breathlessly, still staring. Yuuki released his hair and pulled her soaked shirt front straight, snorting a little in indignation. Honestly, boys! She did up the buttons swiftly with slightly trembling fingers before shrugging her jacket back over her shoulders and zipping it up to hide the faint splotches of blood on her shirt.

Zero had recovered sufficiently to look around him, noticing the rain had finally slowed down to a light drizzle as Yuuki dug into her bag, pulling out her packet of tissues and handing it silently to Zero. After he'd finished wiping his face and blowing his nose, he stood up, stretched and looked over at Yuuki, who was now bent over her bag, rezipping it. He reached over and pulled her easily into his arms for a swift hug, her back against his chest. He inhaled the scent of her hair and released her before she could do more than squeak in surprise, keeping his hands on her upper arms to ensure she wouldn't topple over before releasing her completely.

The rain had finally stopped. Zero shouldered both bags and they walked back to the main entrance, joining the few people who had also been taking shelter in the other gazebos and were now making their way to the line of waiting buses.

Yuuki sneezed as soon as she'd sat down next to the window, shivering slightly in the air-conditioned interior of the bus. Zero stowed their bags in the overhead compartment and flicked the air vents above their seats shut. He shot a worried look at Yuuki as she hugged herself. "Did you bring another jacket?" he asked.

"No" she said. As he frowned, she hastily added "... but I'm fine..."

He raised an eyebrow at that, plopped down beside her and unbuttoned his own leather coat. "Take off your jacket and come here" he ordered. Yuuki didn't argue, shrugging immediately out of her wet jacket and draping it over the back of her seat. He reached out, drew her into his arms and wrapped his coat around her. His shirt was mostly dry and Yuuki leant back against his broad chest, shifting lower until she could feel his heartbeat right under her ear. "My hair's wet" she said softly.

"Hush, I don't want you to get sick..." he replied, adding silently e_specially since I've just taken blood from you..._

Yuuki shifted slightly as though she'd somehow heard what he thought. He ignored curious glances from the other passengers at the intimate way she was pressed against him inside his jacket, his intimidating stare preventing any pertinent questions or remarks. Yuuki was blissfully ignorant of anything, she'd dozed off in seconds, mentally exhausted, warmed by Zero's body heat and lulled by the steady thump of his heartbeat against her ear.

When the bus finally stopped outside the hotel they would be staying at, Zero roused Yuuki. He'd placed his hand on her forehead a few times during the bus ride and she didn't seem to be feverish... yet...

Yuuki sat up slowly and yawned, reluctant to leave Zero's warm chest. Feeling cramped from being in the same rather awkward position for so long, she stretched and twisted from side to side, trying to alleviate the stiffness in her shoulders and back. Zero had stood up to retrieve their bags and Yuuki rubbed her eyes before peering at her watch – no wonder it was getting dark, it was already seven in the evening. She shrugged back into her wet jacket, now cold from the air conditioning then slid out from her seat quickly. Swaying a little, she made her way to the front of the bus.

"Wait, Yuuki..." Zero dropped a hand on her shoulder, staying her. She looked up in surprise as he brushed past her to the front of the bus before jumping lightly out onto the pavement, skipping the three steps completely. Some of the passengers seated at the front of the bus gasped at this, Zero ignored them. He slung both their bags onto one shoulder before leaning into the bus and holding out his hand to Yuuki. "Grab my hand" he ordered.

Yuuki leaned forward and reached for his hand and, as he had more or less expected her to, lost her balance in the process. He reached up, grabbed her around her waist and swung her bodily out of the bus onto the pavement beside him, the bags hitting the side of the bus as he did so. Yuuki grabbed at his arms to steady herself, her head swimming a little from the sudden movement. The same passengers cheered and clapped. Yuuki smiled, waving back at them.

Zero noticed a lady passenger sitting in front of the bus, turning towards her husband sitting beside her and making a laughing comment, gesturing towards them at the same time. It was obvious what she thought – lovebirds... and he turned away. _If only..._

In the hotel lobby, Yuuki stood beside Zero, looking around her with interest as he signed in and got the hotel room key card. She only looked at the single key card the desk clerk gave Zero after he'd signed in. "What, we're sharing a room?" she asked, mildly surprised. She'd have thought Zero would've wanted his space…

A thought struck her. "Is the hotel fully booked?"

Zero slanted a glance at her before admitting "No" They walked across the lobby toward the hotel lifts, Zero waving away a hotel porter who wanted to carry their bags. He jabbed the Up button impatiently, hoping Yuuki wouldn't ask anymore questions.

"Oh" Yuuki frowned then her brow cleared. "The Chairman didn't give us enough money for two rooms?"

Zero glanced down at her again. "He did"

Yuuki huffed. Talking with Zero was really frustrating sometimes...

"Well, why do we have to share a room then?" she demanded as they entered the hotel lift, along with an elderly couple. Yuuki placed her hands on her hips, tilting her head up to look at Zero. He ignored her as he selected their floor button but groaned mentally when he encountered the disapproving look clearly written on the elderly woman's face. It was pretty obvious what she thought – he was a pervert out to seduce his innocent looking girlfriend... Her husband's face was impassive but Zero knew what _he _was thinking as well… if this girl had been my daughter, I'd make damn sure...

Thankfully, the lift stopped at the couple's floor then and they exited silently, the woman turning to give Zero a glare of warning as she stalked past him. Behave yourself, young man... her glare seemed to say. Zero scowled as the lift door closed.

"Well?" demanded Yuuki, wondering why was Zero so reluctant to tell her. She squeaked in surprise as he suddenly swung towards her, crowding her against the lift wall as he slammed the palms of his hands onto the carpeted panel on either side of her head, glaring down at her.

"Because I want to make sure you're all right, get it?" he hissed, angry that she'd forced him to explain his actions. Because that was only one of the reasons why he'd requested for a single room where there were many still available. Because you want to hold her in your arms when you sleep... a voice whispered in his head. And _that's _why you specified a double bed instead of twin sharing.

"Oh…" said Yuuki vaguely. "Well, you needn't have. I'm fine..."

Talking with Yuuki was really frustrating sometimes... Zero rolled his eyes, pushing off the wall as the lift stopped at their floor. He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirrored doors and knew he looked as frustrated as he felt. The doors slid open and he stepped out, grabbing Yuuki's elbow and pulling her out of the lift.

"C'mon..." he said.

In the room, Zero flicked on the lights, his eyes focusing immediately on the duvet with its green and blue leafy pattern stretched over smooth cream colored sheets on the Queen sized bed. The wrinkle free surface was disturbed almost immediately as Yuuki dived onto the bed, rolling around and laughing in delight at having a double bed as opposed to her own narrow one… Wow, a person could really stretch out on this, she thought happily before sitting up. "Zero, I want this side" she pointed to the side nearest the bathroom, despite the fact she had already rumpled his side of the bed.

He raised an eyebrow at that but made no comment and Yuuki took it as agreement, as he'd known she would.

"Why don't you shower first, your shirt's still wet..." he commented as he slipped off his sneakers and strode to the window. He pulled aside the curtains to look out but found himself watching Yuuki's reflection instead as she reluctantly got down from the bed, kicked off her own sneakers and padded towards the luggage bench where Zero had dropped their bags on. She unzipped her bag and pulled out her pyjamas and toiletry bag before going inside the bathroom.

He noticed she didn't lock the door and sighed, folding his arms to gaze out the window. He knew Yuuki's penchant for getting a high fever whenever she got drenched in the rain and hoped today would be an exception despite the fact she'd been in her wet clothes for more than a couple of hours, and part of which had been in an air-conditioned bus too.

Yuuki hummed to herself as she stripped off her wet clothes and stood underneath the hot water, letting it warm her body. She shampooed her hair briskly with her favourite shampoo, preferring to use her own rather than the ones provided by the hotel. She even took a few extra minutes to blow dry her hair, knowing Zero would send her right back to the bathroom if she came out with wet hair, especially after being caught in the rain.

Half an hour later, Yuuki dropped the hairdryer back in its stainless steel holder beside the vanity top mirror and came out, shivering a little as she stepped from the steamy warmth of the bathroom to the air conditioned room, already clad in her pyjamas. Zero had removed his coat and was lying down on the bed, arm over his eyes to block out the light.

"Hey, Zero, you can - can - " Yuuki sneezed twice, causing Zero to lower his hand and sit up. He looked at Yuuki for a moment before getting up to stride over to her, reaching out to place a hand on her forehead. Yuuki slapped his hand away "Hey, I just washed my face, your hands are still dirty..."

Zero exhaled patiently, then grasped her arms and bent his tall frame to touch his forehead to hers. Was it his imagination, or did she feel slightly feverish? Perhaps it was because she'd just showered… His senses reeling with Yuuki's soft sweet scent, mixed with the familiar smell of the shampoo she used, he took a step back.

"Well?" asked Yuuki. "What's the verdict, doctor?"

"You'll live..." he muttered as he grabbed his towel and went into the bathroom. Yuuki wrinkled her nose at the closed door. She picked up one of the bottles of drinking water provided by the hotel and sat on the bed, sliding her feet under the sheets. After drinking a few mouthfuls, she capped the bottle and lay down on the pillows, wondering what they were going to have for dinner... although surprisingly, she didn't feel hungry, just very, very sleepy...

Her eyes drifted shut almost immediately after that.

-- To Be Continued --


	10. Chap 05: All Souls Day Part 3

**Author Notes: **Part 3 – sorry, I just got so carried away, it stretched to a 4 parter before I knew it!

-- Continued --

In the bathroom, Zero stripped off his clothes, dropping them carelessly onto the floor beside Yuuki's. She'd half-heartedly tried to hide her underwear in the folds of her jacket but he could still see one bra strap and part of a lacy cup… It made him remember how sweet she'd tasted when he unexpectedly found his tongue resting on the soft, soft skin of the upper curve of her breast, heaving slightly as she'd gasped in surprise... If she hadn't yanked his head away then, he didn't think he'd have been able to do it by himself…

He swallowed then shook his head hard to clear his thoughts before entering the shower cubicle and twisting the hot water tap, wondering absently if he should be using cold water instead.

Zero didn't linger over his shower as he wanted to check on Yuuki's temperature again. He toweled himself briskly and wrapped the bath sized towel around his waist before stepping out of the bathroom. Yuuki's breathing sounded shallow in the silence of the hotel room and Zero knew with a sinking feeling she was burning up with fever even before he placed a hand on her forehead.

He debated for about half a minute on what to do while he sponged her forehead and hands with cool water before getting dressed again in his jeans, grimacing slightly as he shoved his legs through the still wet material. After slipping on a clean T-shirt and tucking the Bloody Rose gun into his back pocket, he shrugged on his long black jacket. He sponged Yuuki's forehead once more before he pocketed the key card and left the room, closing the door behind him. Exiting the hotel, he walked swiftly to the nearest convenience store, purchasing soluble fever and pain tablets, bread rolls and canned drinks.

There was an alleyway behind the convenience store that Zero knew would take him back to the hotel faster. After he'd gone a few steps into it however, his vampire sense started to tingle. He slowed down, straining his ears. Faint footsteps told him he was not alone this time... not now, he groaned to himself.

He glanced at the ground to see elongated shadows behind him move up and merge with his own. Taking a deep breath, Zero turned around. Four thugs faced him - two of them were holding up knives and one waved a pistol menacingly. He was unable to see their faces as the streetlamp was behind them but he knew they could see his as own due to the yellow light that spilled squarely onto him.

Well, if he couldn't see their faces, he could definitely smell them, and the unsavory scent of unwashed bodies and clothes was overpowering to his vampire senses as they neared him, almost making him gag. He eyed them warily, his gaze swinging from one to another, wondering what was the best way of getting out of this confrontation while drawing little or no attention from anyone else. Which meant using his Bloody Rose gun was out of the question.

"Hey, freak" taunted the heavily built thug with the pistol, whom Zero took to be the leader of the pack. Zero knew his silver hair was a magnet to trouble and he berated himself for not noticing this was a rather deserted alleyway to be in, despite the fact he was a vampire with enhanced swiftness and strength.

He dropped the plastic bag of food and medicine by his feet then held up both hands slowly, hating to waste time trying to talk sense into them but knowing it was imperative he got back safely to Yuuki, who was alone in the hotel room… "Look guys, if it's money you need..." he slowly lowered one hand, meaning to retrieve his wallet from his trouser pocket when they rushed him together, at a prearranged signal.

Zero could take on two or even three of them easily, even with their weapons drawn. With four of them, and a part of his mind still worrying about Yuuki suffering from high fever, he was overwhelmed for a moment, falling onto his knees and grunting in pain as punches and kicks landed on him from all directions. He swung out with his fists, giving as good as he got, and for a moment, he thought there was actually a chance he might be able to get away in one piece.

A sudden white hot flash of pain bloomed in his right thigh and drove all other thoughts away. Zero gasped, looking down to see the handle of a knife protruding from his outer thigh. He stared at it, somewhat surprised, a distant part of his mind thankful that his prized jacket was still intact, having swung open as he landed a punch, just before the knife plunged in. The knife was then wrenched out brutally, causing Zero to cry out in pain. A rough hand dug its way into his pocket and wrested out his wallet. He suffered a few more kicks to his ribs and back before running footsteps told him he'd been abandoned.

Zero lay on the ground for a few minutes, cheek against the ground, sweating and shaking from the pain. He inhaled deeply, fighting nausea and dizziness, smelling the stench of rubbish from the bins nearby, the cement beneath him as well as his own blood as it flowed from the gash in his thigh to soak into his ripped jeans. He pulled himself together. Got... to... get back... to... Yuuki... he thought over and over again, forcing himself up on his hands and knees, then gritting his teeth and clinging onto the brick wall beside him to pull himself up. He leant down to pick up the plastic bag which had been kicked aside in the fight with a trembling hand, almost passing out in the process as the movement caused another white hot flare of pain to explode in his thigh. Zero staggered to the other end of the alley, relieved to see streetlights and two or three cars passing by.

He took a deep breath before limping to the hotel, praying his long jacket would hide the fact that blood was soaking into the right side of his jeans. Luckily, he managed to get to his room without encountering anyone, the lobby deserted of guests as it was already dinner time.

He limped out of the lift towards their room and thankfully slid the key card into the slot. Slowly, he pushed open the door, hoping he hadn't left a trail of blood on the carpeted corridor. He cast a quick look at Yuuki; she was sleeping.

Before he could attend to her, however, he had to get himself cleaned up. Zero shrugged out of his jacket, letting it fall to the carpet. He went to the bathroom again and removed his ruined jeans, bundling it up and shoving it into the waste basket underneath the washbasin, his sense of smell full of the scent of his own blood. It held no appeal whatsoever to him.

Sitting on the edge of the bathtub, he surveyed the deep wound in his thigh grimly, then ran hot water in the sink and wet a washcloth with it. Steeling himself, he cleaned up the wound as best as he could, gritting his teeth as waves of pain shot through his leg again. By the time he'd finished, sweat had plastered the fine strands of silver hair to his forehead as well as dripped past his eyebrows to sting his eyes. Fighting a wave of dizziness, he let the bloodstained washcloth drop to the floor and lowered his head between his opened legs after that, breathing deeply and putting the rather queasy feeling down to the fact that he'd not eaten dinner yet.

Zero then reached for Yuuki's still wet shirt on the floor with a trembling hand, using his teeth to rip half the shirt into strips. He bandaged up his wound grimly, making a mental note to buy Yuuki another shirt as replacement. If they both lived through this mess, that is.

After washing his hands and wetting a clean washcloth with cool water, he walked slowly back to the bedroom, ignoring the shooting pain in his leg as well as the fact that he was now only clad in his shirt and briefs.

He bathed Yuuki's forehead and hands again then dissolved two tablets in half a glass of water. Lowering himself onto the bed and suppressing a groan, he lifted Yuuki against his chest and cradling her head in the crook of his arm, spooned the liquid down her throat. Some of it dribbled out the side of her lips and down her chin but finally she'd taken enough, protesting feebly and tearfully all the while at being disturbed. He spoke to her softly to calm her down, then lowered her back onto the pillows and placed the wet folded washcloth on her forehead. He was hungry for blood now due to blood loss from his wound and he knew his eyes were slowly turning crimson but he grimly ignored his hunger.

If Zero had thought rationally about it, perhaps taking more blood from Yuuki could be more or less justified by the fact that he'd be fully recovered and in a much better position to look after her than the rather sorry figure he was now. But knowing he was the cause of her getting soaked in the rain, knowing he'd already drunk from her that afternoon... no, he couldn't. He just couldn't take any more from her now especially when she was delirious with fever. He wasn't that much of a monster... yet...

Zero ate some of the bread he'd bought. He knew while Yuuki was having a fever, it was no point getting her to eat anything. She tossed and turned restlessly throughout the night and her fever shot alarmingly high twice. Zero didn't sleep a wink as he repeatedly bathed her forehead and hands with cool water and gave her more medicine to bring down the fever, all the time berating himself for letting her come along with him, for getting her wet in the rain while she comforted him, for drinking her blood again and trying hard to ignore all the while the increasingly uncomfortable symptoms of bloodlust within him.

All in all, it was one of the worst nights of Zero's young but eventful life.

Finally, just before dawn, Yuuki's fever broke and she started perspiring heavily. Within minutes, her pyjama shirt was soaked. Zero went over to his bag and pulled out his pyjama shirt. Beyond caring about niceties, proprieties and should or should not's at this time, Zero stripped off her wet shirt, his deep fatigue and sleep deprived brain making him almost oblivious to her nudity. Well, almost oblivious...

As he ran the cool washcloth over pale creamy soft skin and sweetly curving flesh, one still functioning part of his brain was busily storing up enchanting images to be retrieved and viewed at with secretive pleasure at a later date, another part was screaming at him to hurry up, just in case Yuuki woke up and the third and largest part was trying hard to ignore the tempting curve of her slender neck, which he deliberately chose to sponge last, with the pulse beating under the twin wounds that were just starting to heal, beckoning to him. Luckily, his bone deep fatigue helped to blur the normally acute ache of his bloodlust.

Zero found himself staring at her breasts again until she stirred, murmuring faintly. He tore his gaze away with a visible effort. Grabbing his pyjama shirt from the bed, he lifted Yuuki once more against his chest to slide her limp arms through the sleeves before reaching in front of her to button up the shirt. It was the only clean shirt he had left and the same part of his brain that was still appreciative of her earlier partial nudity was now feeling guilty pleasure at seeing her clad in his shirt. It was much too large for her slender frame however, and he rolled back each sleeve several time before her hands could be seen. Swaying with fatigue, he then threw himself down beside her and was soundly asleep in seconds.

When Zero next awoke, it was an hour to noon. Yuuki was still sleeping but she stirred and opened her eyes a second later, seeming disoriented to find herself in an unfamiliar room. She sat up, glanced around and saw Zero looking at her silently.

"Zero? Where are we?" she asked, looking around her in bewilderment. Zero raised himself on his elbow, still staring at her. "We're staying at a hotel, remember?"

She frowned for a moment then her eyes widened as everything came back to her. "We – we went... to your parents' graves, right?" she asked, the casual question causing Zero to pause for a moment. Had it really only been yesterday?

"Yeah" he murmured, reaching over to check her forehead once more. It was cool to his touch and he breathed a sigh of relief. Yuuki looked at him in surprise.

"Why, was I ill?"

Zero didn't know whether to laugh or cry at her question – boy, had she _ever _been ill... But he was spared thinking of an answer as Yuuki suddenly looked down, surprised again to find herself clad in Zero's pyjama shirt.

"Zero? Why am I wearing your shirt? Where's mine?"

Zero hesitated, thinking her previous question would've been much easier to handle. Again, he was spared having to answer _this_ question as Yuuki suddenly gasped, hands reaching up to tightly grip the opening of the shirt at her neck.

"Who took off... who changed...?" Large brown eyes stared at him in alarm, causing Zero's cheeks to grow warm. Of all the three questions she'd asked, he now knew which was the one he _didn't_ want to answer.

Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to return her look. "I did. Your shirt was wet when your fever broke, Yuuki" he said evenly. Then, as she gasped again, he scowled. "Look, I didn't do anything, if that's what you're thinking..." He turned away to swing both legs to the floor and stood up, forgetting his wounded leg and almost collapsing to the carpeted floor in pain.

Yuuki's eyes got wider as she noted his state of undress but forgot about it a second later as she spied the ragged strips of white cloth wound tightly around his right thigh, a small circle of fresh red blood slowly spreading over the dried blood on the cloth.

"Zero! What happened to your leg?"

He hesitated, wishing he'd taken the precaution of wearing his pyjama pants earlier. Ignoring her now, he snatched another pair of jeans he'd thrown into his bag at the last minute and limped to the bathroom. He sat down on the edge of the bathtub again and started pulling on his jeans.

"Zero?" he looked up startled, as Yuuki appeared in the bathroom door, looking surprisingly good with rumpled hair, her slender form practically swallowed up in his pyjama shirt. It reached halfway down to her knees, and he couldn't help wondering how she'd look wearing his shirt and nothing else.

"It's nothing..." he said, looking at the floor as he stood up slowly, weight on his good leg before pulling the waistband of his jeans over lean hips, breath hissing sharply through his teeth as he accidentally brushed his wound. He froze and bent over, clutching at the marbled vanity top nearby, breathing hard. As Yuuki stared at him, biting her lip, he pulled up the hem of the front of his shirt, tucked it under his chin and attempted to pull up the zip of his jeans but his fingers were trembling from the pain and he only managed to yank it up a couple of inches. He paused, shaky, frustrated and embarrassed.

"Here, let me..." Yuuki couldn't stand it anymore and stepped forward, not caring if he wanted her help or not. She reached out slender fingers to pull the zipper up and work the brass button through the buttonhole as Zero stood there staring down at her nimble fingers. Great - as if he needed any help adding to his fevered fantasies when it came to her...

When she'd finished and stepped back, Yuuki's cheeks were enchantingly flushed with color. "What happened to your leg, Zero?" Thankfully, she'd appeared to have forgotten about her other questions in light of his injury.

He sighed as he put the toilet seat cover down and sank gratefully onto the white plastic surface. "Four thugs robbed me last night as I went out to get medicine for your fever..." Then, as her eyes widened again, he added quickly "I'm fine, Yuuki, it's just a scratch"

She snorted rather disbelievingly at that but Zero didn't give her a chance to probe further. "Pack your stuff, we have to check out now" he ordered, giving her a gentle push towards the sink. Standing up slowly and stifling a groan of pain, Zero left the bathroom. He threw all their clothes into their respective bags while waiting for Yuuki, stuffing a bread roll into his mouth at the same time. When Yuuki came out of the bathroom clutching her toiletry bag, he went in to brush his teeth, giving her time to change into her own clothes.

As soon as he'd come out of the bathroom, she tried again. "Zero, your leg's hurting, right?"

Instead of answering, he tossed her the bag of leftover bread rolls. "Are you hungry? Sorry it's not much, but we haven't time..."

Yuuki ate a piece of bread silently and washed it down with a mouthful of water, her expression clearly determined to bring up the subject again as soon as she'd done eating. She didn't even blink an eye as Zero scooped up her underwear and stuffed them into her bag rather haphazardly.

"Zero..."

He forestalled her again by tossing her an unopened water bottle. "Take this with you. It's late, we have to go check out..."

Yuuki sighed. "But first of all, you need blood..." her fingers started fumbling at the neck of her T-shirt.

Zero swung around to glare at her. "No, I don't!"

Yuuki stared at him. "Zero, your eyes..." she said.

Zero swung around, catching sight of his reddened irises in the mirror above the writing desk that doubled as a vanity table. Damn.

"I'm fine" he said again, fishing for his sunglasses in a side pocket of his bag and slipping them onto his nose, causing Yuuki's heartbeat to stop for a moment – he looked so damn good in it. She blinked suddenly as Zero's brusque voice broke into her thoughts.

"Let's go" He all but hustled her out the door.

In the lift, he belatedly remembered he didn't have his wallet anymore. Thank goodness, he'd paid for the room in advance but they still needed to call a cab to get to the train station. "Yuuki, do you have any money on you?" he asked urgently. Yuuki's eyebrows shot up then she fumbled in her trouser pocket. "Yes, I have..." she triumphantly pulled out a roll of notes, causing Zero to sag against the lift wall in palpable relief.

Yuuki was starting to look a little frightened at Zero's pallor. He pulled himself together with an enormous effort. "I'm fine..." Great - on top of everything else, he was also starting to sound like a broken recorder…

"Uh huh"

They got to the train station with minutes to spare and Zero finally collapsed onto the train seat with a heartfelt groan of relief, Yuuki having pulled him up the train steps with all her strength. He clutched his thigh, bending over as pain knifed through his leg again, heedless of what Yuuki might have thought. She made as if to roll up his trouser leg and Zero stopped her. He wiped off the sweat on his forehead with his shirtsleeves, then leaned back and closed his eyes.

Yuuki had one fist pressed to her mouth, her eyes mirroring concern and frustration at his stubbornness. "Zero? Why won't you let me... you know..." she pleaded. Zero took off his sunglasses, slanting a weary glance at her. "Haven't I already taken enough from you, Yuuki?" he asked evenly, looking directly into her eyes.

She looked away for a moment then back at him, tears filling her eyes. "As many times as you need to" she whispered before reaching up to place both hands on either side of his face. "Zero, you idiot...! Don't you know that?"

Zero closed his eyes. She was so close to him, maddening him with her soft sweet scent and he jerked his face away. "Don't come near me..." he gasped out, then closed his eyes against the compassion in Yuuki's too bright eyes.

A second later, Zero had swung to her again. Grasping her upper arms, bent forward to touch his forehead to hers – her fever had gone up again. Alarmingly so. He fumbled in his trouser pocket before remembering he'd downed the rest of the tablets to dull his own pain. Could things get any worse? he wondered.

Yuuki was only half conscious when the cab finally dropped them at the imposing gates of Cross Academy a couple of hours later. It was already evening and Zero couldn't even remember how he'd gotten both of them out of the train and into a cab. Now, faced with the daunting task of actually walking up the hill to the main building with Yuuki a deadweight in his arms, he almost collapsed in despair. As there was no one around now, he slipped off his sunglasses and stuffed it carelessly into his jacket pocket.

Calling on all his strength, he shouldered both their bags on his shoulder and with a smothered groan, lifted Yuuki into his arms, a most enjoyable and effortless task that suddenly seemed as insurmountable as climbing a mountain with the state he was in at this very moment.

-- To Be Continued --

**AN: **I know there's such a thing as mobile phones LOL but since VK creator Matsuri sensei didn't use them in her manga (at least I don't think she did…), I thought it would be more fun to pretend they didn't have them yet… poor Zero _-tight hug-_


	11. Chap 05: All Souls Day Part 4

**Author Notes: **Part 4.

Thank you all sooooooooo much for reading and especially reviewing my work! Your words have delighted, gratified and motivated me no end - to the point where I'm going around grinning foolishly at anyone and everyone - hence I've no choice but to post this up a.s.a.p. to conclude this chapter.

Well, actually, coz I've got another story coming next week, LOL, where the sweet ZxY stuff is mostly done but now have to fill in the other details _-major sweatdrop-_

-- Continued --

The ten minute walk took almost an hour as Zero had to stop for breath after almost every agonizingly painful faltering step. But finally, the outline of Cross Academy loomed at the top of the hill in the gathering dusk, lights already shining out from multiple rows of windows. It was a welcoming sight that brought a lump to Zero's throat.

He stopped for a moment, hoisting Yuuki higher up in his aching arms as he carried her bridal style. He was swaying with fatigue and dripping with sweat. Two figures suddenly appeared at the top of the hill and started hurrying towards him. He recognised them as they came closer. The appearance of these two persons would ordinarily have invoked feelings of irritation, acute dislike and even hatred but right now, he was conscious of only one feeling – intense, fierce relief that bordered on tears.

Zero stumbled and sank to his knees on the wet grass, cradling Yuuki close to him even as his legs gave way.

"Yuuki! Zero!"

"Yuuki! Kiriyu-kun!"

The two figures hurried closer, twin looks of relief etched on the pleasant, slightly careworn bespectacled face of Chairman Cross and the beautifully sculptured one of the pureblood leader.

Capable arms gently but efficiently took Yuuki from Zero's arms; he tried to resist weakly. "No..." he muttered hoarsely. He looked up to see Kaname's face as he knelt in front of him, a strange look in the dark eyes as they took in the lines of fatigue on Zero's perspiration soaked face and the all too obvious signs of bloodlust - crimson hued irises, partially grown fangs, laboured breathing and pale skin stretched taut... then the pureblood leader said, almost gently "It's all right, Kiriyu-kun, I've got her..." before looking up at the Chairman. A look of understanding passed between the two men before the older man also knelt down beside Zero. He placed a sympathetic hand on Zero's shoulder, feeling the fine tremors shivering through the younger man's body.

"Kaname will take Yuuki back to the academy. There's something you and I need to do first..." Zero looked wildly from one man to the other, before the pureblood's dark compelling gaze held his again. The fierce gaze had softened slightly with understanding and something faintly resembling respect. "Yuuki will be fine, you know I would never hurt her..."

Kaname stood up with Yuuki in his arms, not really sure why he even bothered explaining his actions to the ex-human vampire, only there was a desperation in the suffering eyes that called out to him... Holding Zero's gaze for a moment more, he then turned and walked back up the hill towards Cross academy, cradling the slight figure in his arms carefully.

Zero gazed after him, knowing deep in his heart there was no safer place for Yuuki at that moment, even as a part of his mind wondering at the strange look in the pureblood's eyes. Was that look…real…?

"Zero, let him. You're at the end of your own strength now..." said the Chairman quietly.

A deep shudder shook the younger man. The burden of caring for Yuuki suddenly lifted from his shoulders made him feel weak with relief. Still kneeling on the grass, he swayed and bent forward, eyes closing, both hands flat on the ground and arms shaking as he hung his head, trying to breathe around the tight bands in his chest. His fangs had extended even more with the presence of the Chairman at his side - why the hell was the stupid idiot still kneeling so close to him? Zero could practically _feel_ the blood pumping in the older man's body, he could almost _taste _it on his tongue, and the knowledge made him tremble violently. Pushing himself back to sit on the grass once more, he hugged himself tightly and gasped "Go away..."

When the Chairman didn't budge, Zero tried again. "Please... for your own sa-safety..." he got out with difficulty, hugging himself even tighter as the bands around his chest grew even tighter.

The Chairman ignored his plea, pushing up the right sleeve of his jacket and rolling up his shirt sleeve. Zero blanched even as the crimson hue in his eyes intensified. His fangs grew longer.

"N-No..."

Without further ado, the Chairman pushed the inner flesh of his exposed wrist right up against Zero's mouth, fearless of the gleaming fangs visible between the pale trembling lips. "Don't argue anymore..." he said quietly, gripping the younger man's shoulder with his other hand.

Zero closed his eyes, ashamed to his very soul, even as his fangs sank in deeply. Trembling hands gripped the Chairman's arm like vices as he gulped the life-giving blood ravenously, heedless now of anything except satisfying the hunger he'd had for what seemed like a lifetime... The Chairman's blood was nowhere near as sweet as Yuuki's but it was fresh and delicious all the same, flowing from his desperate mouth into his body, rejuvenating and nourishing him. The gash in his thigh healed and the bruises he'd sustained in the fight disappeared. Still, he drank on, heedless of anything else save getting more and more mouthfuls of the wonderful and intoxicating blood down his throat.

Minutes passed then fingers tightened on his shoulder. "Enough, Zero - I need to look after Yuuki, remember?" The Chairman's voice sounded slightly weakened... and this fact managed to penetrate the fog in Zero's brain. He - he needed to stop. Now. Taking one more gulp, he wrenched his lips away. Swiping the back of his hand across his lips and chin, he looked hesitantly at the Chairman, chest still heaving. The older man's face was slightly pale and he was sweating a little but he managed a small smile at the sudden surge of guilt reflected in Zero's eyes.

"I'm fine, Zero... really..." he absently patted the shoulder his hand was resting on then peered at his own wrist, blood still welling up from the deep puncture wounds. Zero followed his gaze and instinctively and without thinking, brought the bleeding wrist up to his lips again, licking off the dripping blood and unintentionally caressing the skin at the same time before stemming the flow with his tongue, causing the Chairman to gape open-mouthed at him.

Flushing, he dropped the Chairman's hand and cleared his throat. "Sorry" he muttered, staring at the ground. He seemed to be saying that a lot these days. He groaned softly and rested his forehead on his bent knees, not knowing what else to say, mortified that he'd been desperate enough to take blood from the _Chairman_. Oh God...

The older man cleared his throat as well. "'Thank you' would be more appropriate, don't you think..." he said, perhaps a trifle dryly. Then, as Zero lifted his head suddenly to glare at him - what had he meant by _that _remark – he continued in a gentler tone "After all, you have nothing to apologise for..."

There was a deep understanding and a hint of a smile in the older man's eyes that made Zero stare at him, as if he'd never really looked at him before. He hesitated for a moment then opened his mouth, the spontaneous words that came out surprising them both.

"Thank you... Father"

Seeing the rare vulnerable look in the younger man's eyes, Chairman Cross longed to reach over to embrace him in a bone-crushing hug but he forbore from doing so. He just squeezed his shoulder again and nodded once before Zero looked away again, embarrassed. They sat there in silence for a few minutes more before slowly getting up, the Chairman shouldering Yuuki's bag while Zero slung his own onto his shoulder. For a moment, he was surprised at how light it was, it had seemed full of boulders an hour ago...

When the both of them had made their way up the hill back to Cross Academy and into the main building, the Chairman pushed Zero towards the kitchen. "There are leftovers on the kitchen table. Eat, then I want you to take a bath and sleep. Everything else can wait" he said decisively.

As Zero opened his mouth to argue, the older man continued "You can see Yuuki tomorrow, she needs her rest too..." before striding down the corridor to Yuuki's room, not waiting for an answer.

Zero's eyes moved involuntarily to Yuuki's bedroom. He sighed, knowing the Chairman was right. Although his bloodlust was for the moment satisfied, he was still very hungry for food, dirty and bone tired. He headed for the kitchen, where he wolfed down the food the Chairman had prepared earlier, for once not bothering what it was.

Then, grabbing his towel and a clean pair of pyjamas from his room, he showered in the main bathroom with hot water and generous amounts of shampoo and soap. Finally, he collapsed onto his bed, hair still wet, asleep even before he'd even managed to pull the blanket over himself.

When Zero opened his eyes the next morning, the sun was already high up in the sky. He glanced at his wristwatch – it was almost noon?! He was rather disoriented for a moment, before the events of the past two days flooded his mind. Had it really been two days ago that he was packing his bag in this room? Thank goodness there were no classes today either, as a good number of the Cross Academy students would only be returning that evening.

He was also somewhat surprised to find himself covered with his blanket. Had the Chairman done this while he was sleeping? he wondered, faintly uneasy at the thought of someone being in the room with him sleeping and completely off guard...

Zero got out of bed, more than a little relieved to find his body had healed completely – his arms were no longer trembling with fatigue and his legs had ceased being shaky. Other that the fact he was hungry again, he felt perfectly fine and healthy.

He brushed his teeth at the sink in the corner of his room, belatedly remembering he'd forgotten to do so last night, and splashed cold water on his face. Yuuki - how was she? Dressing in the nearest T-shirt and jeans that came to hand, he strode out of his room.

"Zero! Finally awake? How are you feeling?" greeted the Chairman who was lounging around outside in a most suspicious fashion. "Come have something to eat..." Zero hesitated, looking at the older man warily before his eyes swung up the corridor to Yuuki's room.

"Breakfast first. She's not awake yet" said the Chairman firmly, grasping the younger man's shoulders and steering him towards the kitchen.

Zero looked at him then, asking with his eyes. "Yuuki will be fine, her fever's stayed down and she's still sleeping" explained the Chairman but decided not to mention that Kaname was with her at that very moment.. "C'mon, you need food..."

Zero relented and followed him to the kitchen, fixing himself a double-decker sandwich while the Chairman made coffee for both of them. He placed a steaming mug in front of Zero before sitting opposite him at the small table in the corner of the kitchen. Zero ate hungrily, somehow not able to bring himself to look the Chairman in the eye as he recalled what happened last night, how he'd gripped the Chairman's arm and held the wrist to his lips, how he'd swiped at the stray droplets of blood on the same wrist using his tongue and how - just for very brief second - he'd had a sudden urge to throw his arms around the Chairman in gratitude and relief.

He chewed and swallowed methodically, staring at an invisible spot on the plastic surface of the table and willing the heat he could feel in his face to recede.

The Chairman watched Zero finishing off his sandwich and sighed. "Zero, what really happened? Did the attack happen after you... drank Yuuki's blood?"

Zero's head jerked up, amethyst eyes widening in surprise and almost choking on his last mouthful. "Uh – "

The older man regarded him for a moment. "Those _are _your bite marks on her neck, right?"

Zero dropped his gaze, feeling his cheeks flame even more with embarrassment, completely unable to refute the Chairman's question. He remembered how he'd sobbed and clung to Yuuki in the gazebo as he drank her blood, his face wet with rain and tears, while the heavy rain continued to fall…

"She... I – I never... she always..." he mumbled before dwindling off, feeling and looking wretchedly guilty.

The Chairman sighed again. "Please, spare me the details" he said rather dryly. "I just wanted to make sure it wasn't a stray vampire who attacked Yuuki and yourself..."

Then, as Zero continued to stare silently into his coffee, the older man continued in a softened tone "It's OK, Zero, I know my Yuuki..." There was deep affection in his voice that Zero could not help but notice. A moment of silence passed then Zero glanced up hesitantly at the older man, relieved to find only tolerance, resignation and sympathy in his eyes before his expression turned serious again. Leaning forward, he spoke "But I want to know how you came to be injured..."

- o -

Zero hesitated outside Yuuki's door, tapping it lightly with his knuckles before turning the door knob. Somehow, he wasn't really surprised to see Kaname sitting on Yuuki's bed, holding her hand as she sat up against her pillow. He knew he wouldn't have left her side either if their positions had been reversed.

"Zero!' cried Yuuki happily as she looked up and saw him framed in the doorway. The pureblood glanced up as well, even though Zero knew it was just for show. Not doubt the pureblood had sensed him coming before he actually knocked on the door.

"Kiriyu-kun, how are you feeling?" murmured Kaname.

"Better - Kuran"

The ex-human looked almost normal compared to the pathetic sight he'd been yesterday evening but while the expressionless look was back in place, Kaname's quick eyes noted the myriad of conflicting emotions that flickered in the amethyst eyes. He said nothing but looked back at Yuuki, deliberately brushing aside the silky auburn strands at her neck to reveal Zero's healing bite marks.

"Your... handiwork, I presume?" taunted the pureblood, lip curling slightly as he looked again at Zero. Feeling both guilty and wretched for the second time that morning, Zero swallowed. He managed to hold Kaname's look, though not without difficulty.

Yuuki looked from one vampire to the other, feeling the almost visible tension in her room. "Hey guys..."

At her words, Zero glanced at her. He knew she wasn't sure what to do and who to support at that moment, so he turned to go.

"No – Zero..."

Zero paused just outside the doorway and looked back at her. "Please, don't go..." she whispered, her eyes beseeching him.

Kaname was watching Yuuki's face and the elegant pureblood sighed soundlessly at her words. If she'd displayed any sign of fear, anger, disgust or revulsion, Zero would've been dead right there and then, but there was only joy on Yuuki's expressive face when that ex-human vampire had first made his entrance.

Zero moved hesitantly towards them and stopped beside her desk, drinking in the sight of Yuuki, noting how fragile she looked with faint purple shadows visible under her large brown eyes.

Much to his surprise, Kaname bent to place a gentle kiss on Yuuki's hair before reluctantly letting go of her hand and standing up. "Just a few minutes, my dear, you need your rest" he murmured, his intent gaze and softly spoken endearment causing Yuuki to blush.

As the pureblood brushed past Zero, he added softly "Don't keep her up too long, Kiriyu-kun, otherwise I won't hesitate to remove you from here" He didn't wait for his reply before strolling towards the door.

Zero glared at the pureblood's back, opening his mouth to deliver a stinging reply, convinced now that the look he saw yesterday in Kaname's eyes must have been a figment of his imagination…

"Zero, how are you?"

He turned around and forgot everything and everyone else - but Yuuki.

"I'm fine, Yuuki, don't worry about me…"

"But - your leg, has it healed?" He'd walked into her room just now as though it had, but she asked the question anyway. He nodded once.

She sighed, shaking her head slightly in wonderment. "How on earth did you get us both back with that injured leg?" she said softly.

"With a little difficulty" he admitted somewhat wryly.

Yuuki smiled at that. "A lot, I'll bet" she whispered in return, her eyes soft with compassion.

They stared at each other for long moments. Zero didn't know how Yuuki could still look at him as she always had, especially after witnessing how completely he'd broken down in her arms in the gazebo yesterday – what a useless snivelling...

But Yuuki got onto her knees, moved towards the edge of the mattress and held out her arms to him. He reached the bed in three long strides and pulled her swiftly into his arms.

They held each other for several minutes, Zero's body trembling slightly with the sheer joy of being next to her once more as Yuuki rested her cheek against his chest, listening to the familiar thump of his heartbeat.

A thought struck her and she pulled back, frowning. "You need fresh blood to heal so quickly... and I know you didn't drink mine since that afternoon..." she pondered this thought for a moment, tilting her head slightly to study him.

Her large eyes widened suddenly as she recalled waking up briefly in Kaname's arms last night when he'd placed her gently on her bed, soothing her while waiting for the Chairman to show up, which he did later. Zero knew she'd guessed the identity of the mystery donor and waited resignedly for her outburst. It was softer than he'd expected though…

"It was - Father?" she asked, not even realising how she'd addressed the Chairman in her amazement.

Zero hesitated then nodded. It was obvious Yuuki was more surprised that Zero had accepted his help rather than the fact that the Chairman had been willing to help in the first place.

They were silent for a moment as Yuuki buried her face again in his chest, Zero thankful that she did not laugh at him.

"He does love you, you know" her voice was gentle but not reprimanding.

He scowled then as Yuuki raised her face again to look at him.

"No, he really does, Zero" she said softly.

Not wanting to hear anymore praise about the Chairman, Zero pulled her close again – the episode was embarrassing enough as it was. However, honesty compelled him to murmur into her hair "I did say 'thank you', Yuuki"

Yuuki smiled, tightening her arms around him in response. Another thought struck her then and she pulled back to look at him again.

"What now?" asked Zero, rather resignedly. He wasn't anywhere near done with holding her yet - the past two days had been physically and emotionally draining for him and he needed to hold her close to his heart to convince himself they were both safe and sound and back at Cross Academy.

"Where did you take it from? His neck?" A sudden giggle escaped her despite her attempts to control it and Zero rather suspected she was mentally picturing the Chairman being held helplessly in his tight embrace, his silver head buried in the older man's neck...

"No, dammit! His wrist, of course!" Zero all but growled. He almost shook her for this bit of impertinence... almost. But he didn't, remembering how ill she'd been and how - rewarding - the impish glint of laughter was in her eyes at this moment, never mind the fact it was at his expense…

"Oh" Then she remembered what he'd done after he'd drunk from her wrist in the kitchen the other time.

"But you didn't... you know, suck... his...?" she tried hard to repress another round of infectious giggles but failed, and Zero did shake her this time. Gently.

Then he relented, releasing a very reluctant chuckle as her laughter continued. But enough of her teasing - Yuuki's eyebrows shot up as Zero sobered suddenly and released her to close long fingers around her wrists. He raised both her hands up, palms facing him then placed a tender kiss on the tip of each slender finger, watching as Yuuki stared at him open-mouthed, cheeks growing a little warmer with each kiss.

He rewarded the last finger he kissed - her left pinky – by gently sucking it into his mouth and licking its entire length before sliding it slowly from his lips. "Only yours, Yuuki, only yours..." he vowed huskily, his gaze intent on hers, hearing her gasp softly in reply. She tugged at her hands and he released them, wrapping both arms around her again and holding her close once more.

When Yuuki's head drooped sleepily against his chest a few minutes later, Zero lowered her onto her pillow and pulled up the blanket over her. He bent down to brush a kiss on her cheek and left her room with the soft imprint of her lips upon one lean cheek.

-- Chapter End --


	12. Chap 06: May I Have This Dance? Part 1

**Author Notes: **In Chapter 17 of the manga, Zero didn't get to dance… but I thought he should have a chance to, hence this chapter…Part 1 of 3 or 4, depending on how long-winded I get…_-giggles-_ Thank you all once again for your kind & motivating words - I really enjoy reading them as much as I do writing about Z & Y... -_hugs-_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the fabulous manga or characters.

-- Chapter Start --

"A dance?" echoed Zero blankly. "Another one…?" he repeated, slamming both hands down on the desk and glaring at the Chairman.

At the Chairman's surprised nod, Zero's brows drew together even more. "Day and Night Class together?" he grated out through clenched teeth.

Yuuki glanced at him. "Zero…" she murmured, not wanting to witness another argument between her adopted father and her adopted brother/childhood friend.

"Well, why not?" beamed the Chairman, blithely ignoring Zero's glare and focusing on Yuuki who shot a worried look at Zero. "After all, the last one was so successful…" he broke off as Zero inhaled sharply, then left the Chairman's office without a word, slamming the door behind him.

"I guess he really doesn't enjoy music or dancing, huh...?" asked the older man rather vaguely, glancing at the door that Yuuki could've sworn was still vibrating very slightly, then back to her. She turned back, rolling her eyes. "Honestly, Chairman... you really shouldn't tease Zero like that, you know what happened at the last dance..."

The Chairman sat down heavily on his chair. "You're right, Yuuki... as usual..." Yuuki smiled at him. "And why didn't you call me 'Father'...?" Yuuki's smile disappeared immediately.

He sighed. "I just thought a dance would liven things up... both the Day Class and Night Class students have been rather down since coming back from All Souls Day last week, you know..."

Yuuki raised an eyebrow, something she'd learnt from Zero. "Really" she said, also in a passable imitation of Zero's sardonic tone, recalling the almost hysterical reaction from the Day Class girls when the gates of the Moon Dorm had swung open last week and the Night Class students had walked out. Strolled, cat walked and sashayed out was more like it... with the reaction they'd gotten, one would've have thought the Night Class students had been away from Cross Academy for three months instead of a mere three day break over the weekend for All Souls Day.

Now Yuuki sighed. "I'll see if I can bring him around" she offered half heartedly.

Her adopted father beamed at her again. "Wonderful, my dear... if anyone can do it, it's you!" Then, before Yuuki had a chance to reply, he pulled his notepad closer and picked up a pen. "Now, let's see. We'll need caterers, decorators,..."

She rolled her eyes again and let herself out of the study. It was now lunchtime, the Chairman having cornered both of them just as classes ended, unable to wait till dinnertime to inform them of his latest brainwave.

Yuuki picked up cling wrapped sandwiches and canned drinks from the school canteen then walked up the sloping grassy hill that overlooked the lake, which was part of the school campus. It was a beautiful day with a gentle breeze that pulled many of the Day Class students outdoors to have their lunch in small groups scattered on the lawns and hill. Yuuki made for the large tree situated at the top of the hill. She had a feeling Zero would be there and sure enough, the moody School Guardian was leaning against the tree trunk, morosely staring at the lake, hands in his pockets, customary frown firmly in place as the wind pulled his tie out from behind his buttoned up school uniform jacket and playfully ruffled the fine strands of silver hair that fell over his forehead.

She wasn't surprised that he knew it was her coming up from behind. It was most likely due to his vampire senses although the fact that she couldn't think of anyone else who would dare to approach Zero without a good reason to, also played a part. In any case, she shook the hair out of her eyes and stepped closer to the tree.

"Come to persuade me?" murmured Zero, turning around at the right moment, having caught her soft sweet scent borne by the wind. He relieved her of the two canned drinks she was grasping in one hand, her other hand balancing the wrapped sandwiches. Yuuki shook her wet hand to fling off the water droplets from the condensation on the icy cold cans, causing the upper sandwich to wobble dangerously.

"Ooh..." she gasped, making a grab for the sandwich as it toppled off its partner.

"I've got it..." Zero said, grabbing both sandwiches from her with his other hand in the blink of an eye. Yuuki gasped in surprise - wow, Zero's reflexes were amazing, she thought as she shook her hand again, flinging off more water droplets.

Zero sat down, placing the cans on the grass beside him. He leaned against the tree trunk facing the lake once more and stretched out one long leg. This was one of his favourite spots in Cross Academy and the Day Class students normally kept away from it, intimidated by his glare and short temper. As far as Zero was concerned, that could only be a good thing.

Yuuki was still standing beside him and he reached up, pulling her hand. "Sit down, Yuuki..."

Then as Yuuki settled down beside him, he added "Your fingers sure are cold..." and tossing the sandwiches in her lap, he started rubbing her cold hand between two warm palms. Yuuki sighed happily; Zero's hands, arms, in fact, his entire body always seemed warmer than hers… although you couldn't really tell by just looking at him. Some things you just had to feel to know… Yuuki stopped and blinked, a little confused as to where her thoughts were leading her.

She waited until he'd released her hand and popped the tabs on both cans before handing him a sandwich. They ate in a companionable silence under the shade of the tree, looking at the sunlight glinting off the surface of the lake and enjoying the breeze ruffling their hair.

"Well...?" said Zero after swallowing his last mouthful of sandwich and washing it down with a swig of his cola. He unbuttoned his jacket and shrugged out of it. Shaking the jacket to get rid of any bread crumbs, he then dropped it beside him on the grass "Why should I think this dance is a good idea?" Then, as Yuuki continued staring at the lake somewhat dreamily, he pulled up a blade of grass and flipped it at her. "C'mon, Yuuki, start persuading me…"

Yuuki flicked the grass off her jacket arm and looked at him, wrinkling her nose. "What makes you think..." she began, only to break off and giggle as Zero raised an eyebrow at her. "That's exactly what I did to the Chairman just now after you'd left" she explained.

Zero didn't smile but his eyes did, the rare look only Yuuki was familiar with and she smiled back at him. He gazed at her for a moment longer before sighing soundlessly, bending forward to rest his folded arms on his raised knee, and his chin on his arms as he looked back pensively at the lake. Yuuki didn't notice his sigh, finishing off her sandwich as they sat in silence for a while more.

"Will you be dancing, Zero?" she asked suddenly.

"Hmm?"

"I said, will you dance?" Yuuki looked directly at him. He seemed surprised by her question. "Dance?" he repeated, looking back at her. "Of course not!"

As Yuuki opened her mouth to ask why not, he added "I don't and that's that!"

"But..."

He interrupted her again. "And you don't have to tell me - Kuran is at the top of Yuuki's list of most desirable partners, right? The only one in fact..." he said, a note of bitterness creeping into his voice despite his attempts to sound nonchalant.

"No, of course not!" shot back Yuuki, cheeks growing warm. "There is another guy I want to dance with too, you know!" How could she _not _dance with her childhood friend? They'd known each other for four years, they'd been through so much together, even though he was starting to irritate her right now.

"Who, 'Idol-sempai'?" he said, sarcastically mimicking the hysterical tones of the besotted Day Class girls who practically went bonkers each time the they caught sight of tousle haired blond aristocratic Hanabusa Aido.

"Kyaaaa!" he added in a falsetto, doing a wicked impression of the same girls, having heard their screams a million times since then.

Yuuki pursed her lips as she glared at him, because if she didn't, she'd start laughing in a minute. Zero seldom showed this side of him but when he did… he could be hilarious. Of course, she appeared to be the only one who thought so… but she wished more people did too…

Zero was a little disappointed that she didn't smile again. "C'mon, admit it, you really like his attentions…" he goaded her. Yuuki, brought back from her reverie by his sarcastic tone, inhaled sharply. Sometimes, Zero was really, really annoying...! Couldn't he tell it was him she wanted to dance with? What the hell would she be mooning about Aido for? For one thing, she had no interest whatsoever in him; for another, he had more than enough Day Class girls chasing after him. She also wasn't interested in his arrogance and his penchant for keep on trying to taste her blood as well as making snide comments about her not being good enough for Kaname... as though she needed reminding...

She jumped to her feet and tossed her head. "Well, if you must know, I'm also going to dance with... with... Ichijo-sempai!" she shot back at him, hands on hips and brown eyes starting to flash with temper.

Zero's eyebrows shot up as he stared up at her in surprise. "Ichijo?" he repeated blankly. "Ichijo Takuma? Since when did you…" he broke off, frowning and looking rather confused.

Yuuki exhaled in exasperation - she'd just blurted out the first name that came to mind - although come to think of it, she wouldn't actually _mind _dancing with the tall, gentle vampire with the beautiful smile… if asked to, that is… Seeing Zero about to question her further, she tossed her head again, flinging a "So there!" behind her as she stomped back down the hill.

He stared after her, scowling darkly. As though dancing with the tall, charismatic and impossibly good looking Dorm Leader was not enough, she also wanted to dance with the equally tall, equally handsome _and _friendly Assistant Dorm Leader with the cheerful disposition and merry laugh?

Since when did Yuuki...he broke off, scowling even more heavily. Well, what did you expect? he asked himself sourly. Did you think Yuuki would want to dance with a grumpy and sullen person who barely spoke two words together when those two _personable _vampires would be more than happy to twirl her around the dance floor and pour sweet compliments in her ear with everyone else – humans and vampires alike – watching with admiration and envy? No way, why would she? Why _should _she?

Zero exhaled, annoyed with himself at getting so worked up over such a trivial thing like the dance. Enough of this nonsense already… he didn't care if Yuuki danced with every single guy in Cross Academy, Day or Night Class, vampire or human, teacher or student. He didn't care if she spent the entire night on the dance floor. And he would absolutely not even _think _of Yuuki being in anyone else's arms other than his own.

Muttering curses under his breath, he gathered up his jacket, the empty wrappers and cans and started down the hill after Yuuki, his expression like a thundercloud. Coupled with his fierce frown and murderous look in his eyes, it was more than enough to make a group of Day Class girls skip hastily out of his way.

At dinner that night, the Chairman surprisingly kept off the subject of the dance, talking about various other matters instead. Both Zero and Yuuki ate their dinner in mutual relief, Zero not saying more than a dozen words as usual, mostly in reply to questions.

The Chairman's surprising announcement had, as expected, caused both Day and Night class students to react to the forthcoming dance with approval and excitement. Especially the former. Not wanting to disrupt classes, the Chairman opted to have the hall decorations and music handled by professionals this time. A catering company would also be setting up rows of food buffet-style just outside the main hall, with tables and chairs set up nearby for dining.

As the week flew by, excitement on the upcoming dance grew. Whispers on who wanted to dance with whom – Ruka Souen was a firm favourite among the Day Class boys - gossip about dresses and hairstyles all augmented by barely suppressed giggles wore Zero's patience thin. He lashed out frequently during the class changeover each evening, even more than usual, causing the Day Class girls to mutter and glare at him and Yuuki to tsk tsk reprovingly at him.

"What is wrong with you these few days, Zero?" she shot at him out of the corner of her mouth after he'd practically moved a Day Class first year to tears by shouting at her for just putting a foot out of line.

"Nothing."

"Yeah, right. Cut it out, Zero..."

- o -

"Is your dress ready?" asked Yori on Friday morning. They were walking to their next class and the dance was only one day away. For most of the students, classes on that day were just something to be tolerated, trivial stumbling blocks to suffer through till the actual dance day arrived…

Yuuki smiled happily. "Yup, it's done. The Chairman picked it up for me yesterday…" she hugged herself as she thought of the simple knee length dress and the breathless wonder she'd felt when she'd worn it and found that both the cutting of the dress and the color suited her very well, other than the fact that the hem needed shortening to fit her petite figure. The girl reflected in the dress shop's floor length mirror with the surprised expression, glowing eyes and softly flushed cheeks didn't remotely look like her or like a school prefect…

"I know who you're dying to dance with!" teased Yori suddenly. Yuuki blushed slightly. "Well, Kaname-sempai, of course... but I also plan to dance with the Chairman, being my adopted father, he'd be hurt if I didn't..." she winced slightly at a past memory, making a mental note to check with him if he'd practiced since the last time she danced with him, as she didn't fancy him trouncing on her toes anymore... "oh, and Zero, of course..."

She walked a few steps more before realising that Yori had stopped behind her, standing stock still, eyes wide. "Zero? Zero Kiriyu?" she repeated rather mechanically.

Yuuki rolled her eyes at her. "Is there any other?"

Her friend blinked. "You don't have to dance with him, just 'coz he's your fellow prefect slash adopted brother, you know. Any of the Night Class students would be honoured to dance with you." She didn't mention that any of the Day Class students would, on the other hand, be too intimidated to… having seen Yuuki in her School Prefect whistle-blowing mode during class changeover…

"Yeah, right. Most of them don't even know what Kanama-sempai sees in me..." muttered Yuuki, thinking silently - a normal plain human girl unworthy of the attention of a pureblood vampire...

"But… Zero…! He's – he's moody, grumpy, bad tempered, ..." Yori started ticking off Zero's shortcomings on one hand, frowning as the number grew to six and beyond, and she had to start ticking off the fingers on her other hand.

Yuuki didn't hear past the first three. Moody? Yeah, sure... Grumpy? Yup, that too... Bad tempered? Everyday of the month, she'd say...

But Zero - he.. well, he was more than that. Zero was more than just a tall, handsome boy with a lean build, fine silvery hair, rare amethyst eyes and an expressionless if good looking face. He was more than a moody, grumpy and sullen School Prefect who terrorised the Day Class girls and barked at them if they stepped out of line. He was… he was… Yuuki frowned a little, lost in thought …

He was… _tender_. Yes. That was how she'd describe the way he held her after each time he'd drunk her blood, as though he were holding something very precious in his arms, that he never wanted to let go off. She loved how he hugged her. It made her feel so… well, cherished… protected… safe…

He was… _caring_. The way he thought of her comfort even when his bloodlust made him tremble with need and pain. The way how he always tried so hard not to take from her. The way he soothed the puncture wounds on her neck ever so gently with his lips and tongue and the almost shy way he said 'thank you' after drinking her blood.

He was… _protective_. The way he always watched out for her safety. The way he'd burst into the bathroom on hearing her scream with fear and how he'd tried to protect her from his bite by covering her naked neck and shoulders with his shirt. Even thought that hadn't quite worked… a faint blush covered her cheeks and she pushed the incident to the back of her mind – no, don't think of that now…

He was… _loving_. Yuuki stumbled over the word in her mind but then she recalled how he'd carried her to her bed when she'd fallen asleep over her algebra homework. The way he'd steadfastly taken care of her during her recent bout with fever despite suffering bloodlust, in constant pain from a deep knife wound in his leg and almost on the verge of collapse himself.

He was… _cheeky_. The way he could get her all worked up over nothing one minute and evaporate her annoyance the next by simply pulling her into his arms. The way he made her squirm and blush while 'cleaning up' after drinking her blood…

He was… Yuuki blinked suddenly as Yori's annoyed voice broke into her thoughts. "Oi, Yuuki, stop spacing out! Why do you want to dance with that grumpy Kiriyu?"

Yuuki smiled at her, unaware that her large eyes were now shining with a gentle light. "Because he's my partner..." she said serenely. Then, to change the subject "Well, what about you? Hanabusa Aido will be there too, you know..."

"What?! You know I don't want anything to do with those Night Class guys! They're just so full of themselves. Especially that Aido character..." It worked, Yori started listing Aido's shortcomings next as they walked on to their next classroom. Yuuki, still half listening to her friend, promised herself yet again that Zero would at least have one dance tomorrow night. Even if she had to force him to…

-- To Be Continued --


	13. Chap 06: May I Have This Dance? Part 2

**Author Notes: **Part 2.

-- Continued --

"Zero? Would you come with me for a minute?"

Zero looked up at Yuuki, a little surprised, then nodded briefly at the Day Dorm Leader, before swinging around to follow her. His longer stride enabled him to catch up with her easily and he glanced sideways at her but she didn't say anything, just staring ahead as she walked quickly back from the Day Dorms to the main building that housed their own bedrooms.

Today was Saturday, the day of the much anticipated dance. There were no lessons today; the Day Class teachers knew their students were in no mood for studies anyway.

The Chairman had asked Zero to greet the caterers when they arrived and show them where to set up their equipment in order to start preparing the food for the dance that night.

Zero frowned and glanced at his watch as he followed Yuuki down the corridor. The caterers would be coming in an hour's time and he wanted to get his chores sorted before then. What was Yuuki up to? He opened his mouth to ask her as he followed her down the corridor leading to their bedrooms.

"Yuuki? What's this about –" he broke off as they neared her room and she grabbed his hand. Taking a quick look around, Yuuki opened her room door and hustled Zero inside, locking the door behind her.

"Hey, I've got my chores – "

"Shhh, this won't take too long …" interrupted Yuuki, as she walked to her desk, shrugging out of her school uniform jacket at the same time. She dropped it on the back of her desk chair and started rolling up the right sleeve of her school shirt in a businesslike manner, looking up to see Zero regarding her with a puzzled look on his handsome face.

"The dance is tonight, Zero, you should drink my blood before then…".

He blanched a little at her directness. "What? No, I'm fine…"

"Nonsense, I insist!" she said.

"No!" he returned, pressing his lips tightly together and staring stubbornly at her. _I'm always taking from you… why do you still help me? _he added silently, forgetting to mask the torment and self disgust in his eyes at the thought.

She saw his look and sighed softly. "You know I don't mind, Zero…"

_But I do_… his eyes said stubbornly, making her sigh again.

"Zero, both the Day Class and Night Class students are attending the dance, we've got to be on our guard, you know that. And all the girls will be in evening dresses, not school uniforms" Even me, she thought, not that I'm going to tell him that…

"You know what that means, right?" she added, thinking bare necks and shoulders…

"It means you don't trust me" Zero said evenly. It wasn't a question. He crossed his arms, looking steadily at her.

Yuuki blinked. "Of course I trust you…" Zero stayed silent.

"I just don't want you to suffer tonight…" she added, more gently.

Zero looked away. He _had _wondered about this evening since it had already been four days since the last time he'd taken from her… only… he wasn't up to asking for it yet… I mean, what the hell did one vampire hunter turned vampire tell his regular victim anyway – Excuse me, do you have say, an hour of free time tonight, I would like to drink your blood then…?? Get real, Kiriyu…! She's gonna get fed up of it one day, and where will you be then...?!

Yuuki looked at him, seeing the different emotions playing in his amethyst eyes. "Please do it, Zero…" she said softly and raised her right hand towards his face, inner wrist facing up, fingers softly curled. He blinked and focused on her hand, frowning a little. "I thought you preferred… from your neck?" he asked.

Yuuki blushed, remembering what happened the last time he drank from her wrist and had gotten rather carried away. "Well, if you must know, I'm wearing a … um, a collarless, um, dress tonight" she confessed reluctantly.

Zero knew instantly what she meant. His bite marks would be visible for everyone to see…

"Don't tell me - you'll also be wearing long gloves to go with the dress, right?" he drawled, shoving both hands into his trouser pockets, somewhat perversely enjoying the enchanting blush creeping up her cheeks.

"Well, no, but I am wearing a corsage on my wrist…" explained Yuuki ingeniously, blushing even more. She was surprised when he frowned again.

"Thought your little plan all out, have you?" he asked sardonically, shoving his hands deeper in his pockets, trying to ignore her hand and the sweet blood he could practically feel rushing through the tempting veins in her wrist. Zero was in fact feeling more than a little put out that she'd planned everything out _then_ only thought it necessary to inform him... although he had to admit it was the most appropriate action to take … and cleverly thought out as well. Not that he was going to tell her that…

Seeing him just standing there, Yuuki sighed impatiently. She too, had a million things to do before the dance that night and she hadn't even thought about how she going to do her _hair_…

She tossed her head. "All right then, if you're not going to do it…" Whirling around, she took a step towards her desk. She rooted around in her sewing box and withdrew the small pair of scissors she kept there before swinging around, deliberately letting the sunlight streaming in from the window reflect off the shiny blades.

Three long strides quickly brought him over to her. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he hissed, grasping her right wrist tightly and wresting the scissors from her fingers. "Do you want to bleed to death? Idiot…!"

She stared at him mutely, feeling a small flare of triumph as he tossed the scissors back on her desk and sighed. 'All right, all _right_, I'll do it…"

Yuuki exhaled softly in relief – she had no intention of puncturing her own wrist with a pair of scissors anyway – and looked around for a suitable place for them both to sit. Finding none, she walked over to her bed and kicking off her shoes, sat down against the pillows, Zero forced to follow her since he was still grasping her wrist.

"Sit" she invited, patting the side of bed. He kicked off his shoes as well and sat down in the middle of the bed, shifting back until he was leaning back against the wall with his knees drawn up. Then he looked at her for a moment. "Yuuki…?"

"Just do it, Zero…!" He looked at her for a moment more, realising she would be seeing the... beast in him... for the second time. Slowly, he released her wrist to hold her right hand with his left, interlacing her fingers with his and bringing up her wrist to his mouth. His right hand supported her elbow and for a moment, she was touched that he thought of her comfort even now…

Zero's eyes had already changed colour in anticipation, fangs growing out. He touched his lips to her inner wrist, drawing his tongue slowly over the soft skin, tasting her, breathing in the scent of her. Yuuki shivered, closing her eyes for a moment. Then she opened her eyes to see his lips draw back to reveal needle sharp fangs before he sank them into her wrist.

Ow… again she felt the dull pain travelling up her arm as her skin broke. Zero's mouth started sucking at her blood, his lips unintentionally caressing her skin at the same time. She shivered again, causing him to look at her, seeing the guilt mixed with self-disgust in the crimson tinged eyes. Yuuki's eyes softened at his look and careful not to jar her wrist, sat up slowly and knelt closer to him so that she could keep her arm more comfortably bent. She continued looking up at him, slightly fascinated, as he sucked at her wrist and swallowed her blood, keeping his gaze on her the whole time, a part of him registering the surprise he always felt at her acceptance of his blood sucking nature. Yuuki was… amazing… nothing seemed to faze her…

A couple of minutes later, he stopped – he shouldn't drain her too much, what with the dance coming up tonight… Pulling his mouth away, he inhaled deeply to slow down his pulse before licking his lips clean of her blood. His tongue darted out to lap up a trickle of blood flowing down her arm before he pressed it gently to the twin wounds to stop the blood from welling up further.

He was getting better at it… mused Yuuki, there was a lot less blood spilt compared to the time when he'd first started. They both sat silently, even companionably on the bed after that, Yuuki beside Zero and leaning her left shoulder against his right arm, Zero licking her wrist clean and watching Yuuki squirm a little as his warm tongue glided over her skin. He looked surprisingly at home in her bed, lounging against the wall, silvery bangs falling over his eyes.

Raising her hand to his lips, he brushed a kiss across her knuckles. "Thank you, Yuuki" he said softly, looking intently into her eyes. Yuuki smiled, cheeks warming slowly. He started to release her hand, still watching her closely, and caught sight of the brief look of disappointment that flashed in her large brown eyes. She blinked when he pulled her hand towards him again.

"Cleaning up time..." he said, still looking at her. Much to her chagrin, Yuuki blushed deeper and bit her lip, looking both excited and apprehensive at what she knew was going to happen next. The dimple in Zero's cheek appeared briefly as his lips tilted upwards just a little. He brought her hand closer to his mouth then paused, looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Well...?" he asked, wanting, needing her to say the words.

Yuuki hesitated, knowing she should pull away but... not really wanting to. And she knew that he knew that as well, the... jerk! She scowled, knowing he was waiting for her to say the words. Like hell she will…

Tossing her head, Yuuki opened her mouth to say "Forget it!" and to her horror, the words that came out were completely different - "All right..."

Zero's eyes widened slightly, as though he couldn't believe what she'd said either. Then he smiled again.

Slowly, eyes still holding hers, he brought up her hand to his mouth. Yuuki held her breath in anticipation. Zero started with her right pinkie, kissing first the tip before sliding it into his mouth, his tongue sliding up and down her finger and causing all sorts of butterflies to erupt in her stomach. He nipped at the tip of her finger playfully, noting with satisfaction the way her breath hitched before using the tip of his tongue to sweep the ultra sensitive skin joining her pinkie to her ring finger. Finally, he slid it out slowly from his mouth, keeping his lips around it and finishing off with another moist kiss as her trembling finger left his warm wet mouth.

Enjoying her reaction, Zero raised an eyebrow at her. "How was that?" he asked, his voice husky and deep.

"Uh... it was..." stammered Yuuki, squirming a little. Ooohh..." she murmured and inhaled shakily, as he repeated the entire process with her ring finger.

Zero enjoyed himself thoroughly during the next few minutes, watching Yuuki squirm and hearing her breath hitch repeatedly in her throat as he ravished her fingers thoroughly, his lips and tongue lingering on the sensitive skin between her fingers and acquainting each finger with the warm wetness of his mouth and his wickedly caressing tongue.

She was shivering helplessly by the time he'd finished off with her thumb. Biting her lip, she tried to pull her trembling hand back "I – I think that's e - enough…" but Zero's warm fingers tightened on it. "I haven't finished yet..." he said, almost grinning devilishly at the enchanting flush on Yuuki's cheeks.

He started to trace wet circles on her soft palm and Yuuki closed her eyes again. As his tongue travelled slowly, sensuously over her hand, she inhaled one shaky breath after another, shifting about uncomfortably next to him. Drat that Zero, he knew her palm was sensitive...! And her wrist, too...!

When he finally stopped, Yuuki opened her eyes, feeling rather dazed, to see Zero licking his lips unconsciously. Her entire body was trembling and she knew he was aware of that as well. Swallowing past a dry throat, she licked her lips but froze when that action caused Zero to stare at her mouth with disturbing intensity. He hesitated, then started to bend towards her, his lips parting slightly.

Yuuki stayed where she was as he bent closer, feeling his warm breath on her cheeks. Surely he wasn't going to...? But at the same time, she didn't pull away, her own lips parting softly in anticipation.

His mouth only an inch away from hers, her eyes fluttered shut.

On the verge of claiming her lips, Zero stopped suddenly and grimaced – belatedly remembering what he'd been doing only minutes ago. He inhaled sharply, turning away and releasing her hand. Yuuki opened dazed eyes to see Zero shifting to the edge of her bed and standing up. He slipped into his shoes then glanced down at her, his look was once again inscrutable, his face expressionless. "Come on, let's go…" he said.

Yuuki blinked at the sudden change in him. She was so sure he'd been about to kiss her… and she didn't know why he stopped. And why was she feeling more disappointment than relief, for goodness' sake – I mean, it wasn't as if she _wanted _him to, right? After all, it would be kinda awkward to have her adopted brother kissing her on the _lips_, right?

Zero waited impatiently at the door as Yuuki got slowly off the bed, wearing a slight frown as she wore back her shoes, rolled down her sleeve and got into her jacket. Even before she reached him, he pulled open the door and walked out into the corridor. "I'm going to see the caterers now…" he threw at her over one shoulder.

"Sure…" said Yuuki softly, still looking at his tall figure, hands shoved deep in his trouser pockets as he strode off. Zero really was strange, she thought as she closed her room door. He was _this _close to kissing her, why'd he stop? Blowing out her breath, she shook her head. Enough thinking about Zero already, otherwise she'll never get her chores done in time …

Zero rounded the corner then stopped abruptly, leaning against the wall and staring unseeingly in front of him. Dear God, what had he been about to do? Well, he knew what he'd been about to do… and Yuuki looked like she'd wanted him to… but – but what if she pulled away in disgust after that? After all, she'd just seen him drinking her blood, she'd seen the gleaming fangs that pierced her skin and the blood that stained his lips. And if they _had _kissed, what would she have thought of the taste of her own blood on his mouth? Sweet and intoxicating as it was to him, it would most likely revolt the hell out of her.

Besides, doesn't she think of him as just a friend or as an annoying brother? She'd said it herself, hadn't she? The words spoken rather innocently by Yuuki a couple of weeks ago in the café still haunted Zero. Despondently, he pushed off the wall and continued on his way, shoulders slumped, the light heartedness of a few minutes ago evaporating as he told himself he had no right to kiss Yuuki… not the way he truly wanted to. He was a disgusting blood sucking monster and not worthy of her at all… the words echoed endlessly in his mind.

Yuuki on the other hand didn't think of the incident anymore as she hurried through her chores, stopped by the study to help the increasingly flustered Chairman to check through and tick off the completed items in his ever growing list in his notebook before finally escaping to her room to begin preparations for the evening. It was time people saw Yuuki Cross in a really nice dress for a change… and something even a little more revealing than the one Kaname-sempai had given her for the previous dance…

- o -

Zero put on a fresh school shirt and his uniform pants after his shower, still in a rather foul mood after the incident that morning. He didn't have any dress clothes for the dance and he was damned if he'd let the Chairman rent him a tuxedo like he'd offered to. Honestly, just because he'd been desperate enough to drink from that man that one time, the Chairman had been all over him, expecting to be called 'Father dear' each time… Zero's lip curled in derision – what was next, good morning hugs and good night kisses?! There was only one person in the world whom he wanted to give him those, and by God, it was _not _Chairman Cross!

Zero knew he was being unreasonable and childish but he was still unable to help himself. Here he was, going to the dance with no other reason than to torture himself for hours seeing Yuuki dancing with everyone else but him.

What an idiot.

Pulling on his jacket with angry, jerky movements, he left his room, closing the door behind him with more force than warranted.

Turning, he froze, stunned as Yuuki also closed her room door and turned to face him. She saw him and smiled, her eyes aglow with excitement. In an instant, anger & frustration melted off him, leaving him in awe and completely and achingly aware of Yuuki.

She was… beautiful, he thought. Little jewelled clips held freshly washed gleaming waves of auburn hair off the sides of her face, making her eyes appear even larger and more luminous than usual, cheeks flushed with anticipation. The pale gold silk of the evening dress made a perfect foil for her creamy pale almost translucent skin, the thin spaghetti straps baring her long slender neck, shoulders and arms. Slender but shapely legs under the knee length skirt appeared longer than usual, paired with gold heeled sandals that added a good three inches to her petite frame. She looked radiant… tempting… bloodlust stirred faintly within him at the sight of her bare neck and he knew once again she'd been right to corner him that morning to take the edge of his hunger.

"Yuuki… you look… just…" Zero said softly, words failing him and he shook his head rather helplessly. Silently, his eyes said what he could not and Yuuki smiled at him gratefully, needing the compliment to boost her own confidence. He continued to stare at her, his eyes travelling over her hair – had she curled it? - down one delicate perfectly shaped ear where a small dangling crystal winked at him, dipping further over a slender fragile collarbone to focus on the shadow visible above the V-shaped scalloped neckline and the twin graceful swells beneath it. Her creamy pale neck and shoulders seemed to glow in the yellow corridor light or was that the shimmer of gold dust? It didn't matter, she was a goddess... He swallowed then blinked as Yuuki draped a matching yellow shawl around her shoulders.

Zero caught sight of the corsage on her right wrist and caught her slender fingers, bringing her hand closer to his face, catching a whiff of the perfume from the bunches of entwined yellow rosebuds encircling her wrist on a wide band of yellow satin ribbon. A long finger nudged the ribbon aside on her inner wrist, exposing the healing puncture wounds he'd made that morning. He ran the pad of his thumb lightly over the wounds then brought her wrist up to his mouth.

Yuuki let him, surprised that he still wanted to drink from her now… surely he'd taken enough this morning? After all, they were standing in the corridor for goodness' sake… But he only pressed a gentle kiss onto the wounds, looking down at her with an unreadable expression in his eyes. Yuuki's lips parted softly, ready tears springing to her eyes at his unexpected and tender gesture.

He almost dropped her hand on seeing the tears. "Hey, don't cry!" he said quickly, slightly alarmed.

Yuuki shook her head, blinking away her tears. She smiled tremulously up at him. "I'm not crying, silly…" she said softly.

A tiny smile and a brief flash of Zero's dimple showed, then he rearranged the ribbon over her wrist and released her hand. Swinging around and pushing his hands in his pockets again, he said "Let's go then…" his voice huskier than usual.

-- To Be Continued --


	14. Chap 06: May I Have This Dance? Part 3

**Author Notes: **Part 3.

Thank you all soooo much for your fantastic reviews! To be honest, I'm just as thrilled about The Dance as you are and hope I've done it justice… but you will only find it in Part 4, because you've made me want to detail out a few of Yuuki's other partners first _–giggle-_ which I was originally just planning to gloss over...

-- Continued --

Yuuki's gaze skimmed his school uniform. "Still on duty, huh…?" she said gently. He shrugged as they walked down the corridor and through the building. It was not necessary for Zero to be on duty, as the Chairman had already requested for and received help from the Council. Selected vampire hunters i.e. the not trigger-happy ones, were to act as guardians tonight, to ensure nothing went out of hand. Kaname had also agreed to his, briefing the Night Class teachers and students beforehand, warning them to be on their best behaviour. But Zero being Zero… Yuuki sighed.

Zero shortened his stride to enable Yuuki to keep up, partly out of consideration for the high heels she wore that brought the top of her head almost to his shoulder, and partly also to keep her to himself for a little while longer. They exited the main building and started down the path leading towards the brightly lit school hall. As they walked nearer the hall, lively music could be heard. Smoke rose from a barbeque pit set up nearby and appetizing smells wafted over in the night breeze as uniformed waiters walked in and out of the hall, balancing trays of mixed fruit punch.

The cool night wind teased Yuuki's shawl, giving Zero a tantalising glimpse of creamy smooth bare shoulders, only partially hidden by the gauzy material. He also couldn't keep his eyes off the tempting shadow visible above her neckline, having both seen - and touched - what lay beneath.

He took a steadying breath then spoke "You sure wearing that is a good idea?" At her surprised look, he nodded at her dress. Yuuki frowned a little, she could've sworn his eyes said she looked good earlier…

"Why, doesn't the dress suit me?" she asked, a small note of hurt apparent in her voice.

Zero blinked. "You look good enough to eat, Yuuki… " he said wryly. He saw the enchanting colour creep up her cheeks before continuing "It's just that half the people there will be vampires, you know…" God, did that sound as inane as he thought it did?

But Yuuki just smiled up at him, completely unafraid of the prospect. "I won't be the only girl wearing a dress, Zero. Besides, I'm walking with one such person now, and I feel perfectly safe" she said serenely.

Ouch! - Zero winced at her remark, almost choking in surprise. Geez, sometimes the things Yuuki said…

"Well - of course, but that's because I've already… already…" he broke off suddenly, stopping abruptly on the path and making Yuuki stop as well. "Are you laughing at me?" he demanded.

Yuuki looked back at him with wide eyed innocence and waited until doubt surfaced in Zero's eyes before she relented and laughed softly. "You know what the Chairman and Kaname-sempai have agreed on, right? The Night Class would be sure to take lots of blood tablets right before the dance, and they've promised there would be no blood letting. Kaname-sempai will see to that…"

Zero grunted, only partially appeased but not wanting to hear anymore about the pureblood vampire. He looked away, frowning slightly. "You're not really safe from me, you know…" he muttered.

Yuuki reached for his hand, linking her fingers with his, squeezing lightly. "Of course I am, Zero" she said softly.

He scoffed lightly at that even as his fingers tightened in response. "I've taken from you each time."

"That's not what I meant" Yuuki said gently. "You've never taken from me by force… other than well, that first time, which is not counted by the way…"

Zero glanced at her then turned away, staring into the distance.

"Zero?" He didn't say anything.

Yuuki reached up gentle fingers to turn his face towards her. "What is it?" she asked softly.

He jerked his chin out of her hand, giving her a grim look before turning away again, jaw clenched. "One day, Yuuki, I may do just that. Take from you by force." His voice was hard. "So don't think you'll always be safe around me..."

There was a deafening silence for a long moment before he glanced back at Yuuki. She looked completely stricken at his words and silent tears had started to course down her suddenly pale cheeks.

Zero's throat constricted and he muttered a curse, Yuuki was entirely too soft for her own good. He'd only meant to remind both of them that he wasn't just a normal boy, that he was also... also... But suddenly, it was no longer important. The only thing that mattered now was that Yuuki had been so excited over the dance and he'd gone and spoiled the entire evening for her with a few careless words.

The tears continued to fall unheeded and Zero swallowed hard. Then they spoke together at the same time.

"I didn't mean…"

"Don't say that…"

They paused for a moment, Yuuki biting her lip and looking as though she'd burst into full fledged sobs at any moment. His heart pounding with remorse, Zero reached out to capture both her hands in his warm ones.

"I'm sorry Yuuki, I shouldn't have said that. Not tonight..." he said quickly. Yuuki swallowed and took a shaky breath, blinking hard.

"Please - don't cry" he added wretchedly. I can't bear it if you do… he added silently.

"Stop apologising, Zero, or I swear, I will cry" said Yuuki, her voice trembling a little despite her efforts to steady it. He fell silent, looking at her as if he didn't quite know what to say.

Yuuki looked away and blinked again, taking deep breaths to calm herself. Get a grip, Yuuki, don't think about this now. I completely forbid you to go to the dance with a red nose… she scolded herself.

Finally, she turned back to Zero, giving him a rather tremulous smile. "OK, I'm fine now…" she said softly, pulling her hands out of his to swipe away the tears on her cheeks. Zero exhaled in relief but continued to stare at her worriedly.

Yuuki hesitated and bit her lip for a moment, looking at him. "Zero? Don't think about that tonight please?" she said softly.

"I won't" Zero promised gravely. He placed an arm around her shoulders and hugged her to his side for a moment, resting his chin lightly on her hair, breathing in her soft sweet scent. "I'm sorry" he whispered. More tears threatened to well up at his soft apology and Yuuki let her cheek rest against his jacket for a moment before pushing him away in mock annoyance. "Hey, you're messing up my hair…"

Zero released her, then offered her his arm silently. Surprised, she placed her fingers on his arm as they continued walking down the path. Yuuki shook off her sombre mood, trying to recapture the excitement and anticipation that had flowed through her as she'd gotten ready earlier. She wasn't going to enter the hall with a long face, not when she'd gone to all this trouble of dressing up…

They could see couples walking towards the hall as well. Some were holding hands, other girls had one hand tucked in their escort's arm. A couple walked past the gates of the Moon Dorm under the watchful eye of one of the dorm caretakers and Yuuki recognised Shiki Senri and Tooya Rima holding hands and giggling over a shared joke. They nodded at Yuuki, doing a double take at the sight of her evening dress. Yuuki smiled at them and they waved, then walked on towards the hall.

Feeling more optimistic, she promised herself again that Zero was going to get a dance from her tonight, if from no one else. Zero… the moody and grumpy boy beside her with the tortured eyes and anguished heart who had walked into her life on cold winter's night four years ago… and had turned out to be the one closest to her, who knew her inside out, bickered with her constantly, made her worry about him endlessly and… and… she broke off as she tripped and lost her balance on the top step of the school hall.

Strong arms caught her and stopped her from falling. "Stop daydreaming, you'll see your pureblood boyfriend soon enough" commented Zero, in a long suffering voice he knew would rile Yuuki, releasing her after ensuring she was steady on her feet once more. She swung towards him immediately. "I was _not _thinking of Kaname-sempai…!" she said.

Zero smirked, noting the colour creeping into her cheeks. "Oh, really?" he drawled, stopping to survey her with folded arms.

"Yes, really!" she insisted.

"Ichijo Takuma, then?" he enquired, unable to stop himself and almost biting his tongue again as soon as the words had left his mouth. Damn, what was wrong with him this evening...!

"Who? Ichijo-sempai?" Yuuki frowned, completely forgetting her rash words of a few days ago. "Why would I - no, not him!"

He raised an eyebrow at her but said nothing even as a surge of relief welled up in him. OK, so Yuuki wasn't really besotted with him then…

"Well, if you must know, I was thinking about you!" Yuuki confessed a little breathlessly. Both eyebrows shot up this time as he stared at her.

"Why would you be thinking about me?" he asked, frowning.

"It's nothing" Yuuki muttered.

"Tell me…" Zero began, reaching for her hand but Yuuki just smiled, moving her hand away. "You'll know later…" she said gently. Then, catching his hand once more in hers, she urged him into the ballroom. "Let's go, we're late…!"

Inside the hall, the dance was already going full swing. The hall was tastefully decorated and wide swathes of ribbons and bunches of flowers adorned the eight French windows around the sides of the hall that lead out to small balconies overlooking the lake on one side and the dorms and classrooms on the other. Couples swung past in time to the music, creating a kaleidoscope of colourful evening dresses coupled with black or white dinner jackets.

Yuuki, eyes sparkling, looked around excitedly, waving at Yori and enjoying the open mouthed look of surprise on her friend's face and on some of the Day Class girls, who looked as they couldn't reconcile the girl standing in front of them with the strict no-nonsense School Prefect. Yuuki knew that Yori's astounded look was in no small part due to the fact she had entered the hall on the arm of the moody, sullen and grumpy Zero Kiriyu and she grinned to herself, recalling Yori's amazement when informed that she - Yuuki - was going to get a dance out of Zero.

Yuuki was also secretly pleased to note even the elegant Night Class female students seemed mildly surprised at her 'transformation' so to speak. It gave her confidence another boost and she looked up at Zero, smiling.

Zero on the other hand, was feeling rather self-conscious. It was one thing to stride into the hall on his own, his school uniform and customary scowl screaming the fact that he was there strictly 'on duty' only, requiring no further explanation on his part. It was quite another thing to stroll into the hall with an exquisitely dressed creature on his arm, looking for all the world as though she'd just entered an enchanted ballroom complete with princely escort. He didn't know whether to look as invisible as possible, or to walk tall and beam with pride. Something of the conflict must have reflected in his eyes as Yuuki stopped, her smile faltering.

"Zero, what's wrong?" she asked softly.

He closed his eyes for a moment, then looked down at her. "Nothing, Yuuki" The smile that had been about to appear on his lips vanished as he sensed the pureblood leader's presence. He looked up to see Kaname making his way towards them, his step as assured as the smile on his face. Dressed in an elegant white tuxedo that fitted his tall lithe figure to perfection, the pureblood looked if possible, even more handsome than usual and Zero scowled blackly. Not even bothering to greet him, he dropped his arm, causing Yuuki's fingers to slide off. Even as he turned away, he heard Yuuki's happy cry of greeting and the low voice answer in reply.

- o -

The evening progressed as couples took turns on the floor and rested in between, wandering out of the hall in search of drinks or food or resting on the small groups of chairs along the walls. Zero spent most of his time in the hall, leaning casually against the wall, eyes moving past the dancers. He'd nodded to several of the vampire hunters walking around but his eyes were mostly glued to Yuuki and her partners. She'd taken a couple of short breaks during the faster paced songs to have a bite to eat with Yori and chat with some of the other students but other than that, she was surprisingly swamped with offers to dance, even by the Day and Night Class teachers. He supposed he should be glad that Yuuki seemed to be enjoying herself hugely; she was smiling or laughing with delight every time he laid eyes on her.

But he was unable to look away. Kaname danced with Yuuki more than once, he'd gotten the first dance from her and stayed close by after that, ensuring with his mere presence that all succeeding partners of Yuuki, Day or Night Class, behaved impeccably towards her.

But Yuuki wasn't the only one with more partners than she could handle. More than once, he spied Hanabusa Aido surreptitiously trying to creep away with a gaggle of Day Class girls on his tail. Zero smirked, was that a look of near panic on the blond aristocrat's normally arrogant face?

The cool beauty Ruka Souen didn't look as if she was fully enjoying herself either. There was a strange look on her face when she'd first caught sight of Yuuki that even Zero couldn't fail to notice. She didn't bother to mask her dislike as Kaname escorted Yuuki onto the floor. As expected, the pureblood was all assured grace and poised elegance and Zero's scowl deepened even further as he saw Yuuki laughing and blushing at his words. Ruka didn't have long to watch the dancing couple as the Day Class boys were also onto her. Each awkwardly blushing and stammering male student from the Day Class petitioning her for a dance were summarily rebuked with little hesitation and she only danced with her fellow classmates.

As the hours drifted past, Zero wondered more than once if he were insane to simply be staying there. He wanted to dance with her, without a doubt, but he also wasn't going to ask her… and he didn't even know why. Yuuki wouldn't turn him down, he was sure of it… then why? Was he afraid she'd compare his dancing to the pureblood's and find him lacking?

Yuuki on the other hand, was enjoying herself immensely. She'd opted to sit out the faster dances, fully aware she wasn't used to the three inch heels she was wearing and not wanting to risk an embarrassing fall or a sprained ankle.

Her first dance with Kaname had started a little awkwardly as she was too aware of the stares directed at them as well as the admiration in the enigmatic dark eyes as they stared at her, slowly roving over her face, neck and shoulders. As the song started, she placed her hands tentatively on his broad shoulders; her heels lending her height as Kaname's hands circled her slender waist. Clearly aware of Yuuki's initial awkwardness, he'd smiled tenderly at her then, his murmured compliments melting any hesitation on her part and making her glow with confidence again. Hearing her delighted laugh, Zero scowled even more. He couldn't hear what the low voice was saying but he had a pretty good idea of what the words meant. He turned away when the dance finally ended to avoid seeing Kaname raising Yuuki's small hand to his warm lips.

The Day Class Dorm Leader approached Yuuki next, causing Zero's eyebrows to shoot up in surprise - he'd never have thought the sports crazed guy remotely interested in Yuuki before although he shouldn't really be surprised. Tonight, the enchanting creature was miles away from the no-nonsense whistle-blowing School Prefect…

When the Chairman approached Yuuki to claim his turn, Zero couldn't stop his lips twitching upwards at the cautiously wary look on Yuuki's face. Turning, she caught his look and rolled her eyes at him. Zero's smile turned into an actual grin for a moment, causing a couple of Day Class girls to point at him and stare, whispering to each other. His smile disappeared almost immediately as he resumed his normal deadpan expression.

Zero tensed when he saw Ichijo Takuma walking towards Yuuki a few dances later, good naturedly ignoring a group of Day Class girls who trailed hopefully after him, eyelashes fluttering outrageously. Zero rolled his eyes at their antics – what idiots!

Yuuki, about to slip off to the Ladies', blushed prettily as Assistant Dorm Leader Ichijo approached her. "Yuuki-chan!" he greeted her happily. He was the only Night Class student who could get away with addressing her with such familiarity without incurring either her annoyance or the wrath of Kaname. He bowed before her now with easy grace, light glinting off the soft brown hair that fell over his right eye. "May I?" he asked, gallantly holding out a hand.

Yuuki smiled. It was so easy to forget this tall gentle person was a vampire, especially when he smiled. As they whirled around, she reached up to whisper teasingly in his ear "Don't forget to dance with some of your loyal followers, OK, Ichijo-sempai?"

She could hardly be unaware of them, what with their glares practically boring holes into her back. Ichijo laughed gaily, not in the least bit perturbed. "I'm leaving them all for Aido, I don't think he has enough fans tonight…" he said seriously, although the naughty twinkle in his eyes gave him away. Yuuki giggled appreciatively at his reply; Aido's group of fans was definitely the largest one so far.

As they twirled again, Yuuki suddenly caught sight of Zero leaning against the wall, his arms folded across his chest. He was glaring daggers at them, causing her to miss a step. Ichijo covered her mistake smoothly, his hands keeping her balanced. "Anything the matter, Yuuki-chan?" he asked.

"Er… nothing" said Yuuki quickly, finally remembering what she'd carelessly flung at Zero during lunch earlier in the week, about wanting to dance with Ichijo-sempai. But surely Zero didn't have to look like he'd like nothing better than the murder Ichijo with his bare hands…

All the same, Yuuki moved slightly back from the aristocrat, even though he'd been holding her faultlessly all the while. A mock sigh feathered her bangs and she looked up. "Kiriyu-kun looks rather mad, doesn't he?" murmured Ichijo, looking more intrigued than anything else as he continued looking over her shoulder at Zero. Oh dear, was it that obvious? thought Yuuki, wishing Ichijo would have the decency to look more chastened than openly curious and even slightly amused.

A rather mischievous smile suddenly curved the vampire's lips. "Hmm.. I wonder how this'll affect him…" he said, moving his hands around Yuuki's back to pull her closer to him. Yuuki gasped softly, not daring to look at Zero but somehow fully expecting him to grab her arm and haul her off at any moment. As they turned once more, Ichijo caught sight of Kaname this time round and his sure step faltered slightly at the dark look in the pureblood's eyes that held a note of warning against further intimacy. Oops…

Automatically, Ichijo loosened his hold, moving slightly away from Yuuki before smiling rather ruefully down at her. "You're playing with fire, Yuuki-chan…" he murmured. Yuuki hadn't seen Kaname, so she assumed Ichijo was still talking about Zero and didn't bother to reply. When the dance ended and Ichijo had dusted a light kiss on her knuckles, Yuuki purposely turned her back on Zero as she hurried off towards the Ladies washrooms at the far end of the hall to cool down and take a rest.

Zero controlled the sudden irrational surge of rage with an effort. He should be _glad _that Yuuki was dancing with Assistant Dorm Leader Ichijo Takuma – after all, he was the kindest one of the lot of damned vampire nobles and had never displayed any wish to taste Yuuki's blood, had he? Although Zero couldn't quite shake off the feeling that his pulling Yuuki closer during the dance just now was quite deliberate… In any case, he was quite unlike that arrogant blond brat - this thoughts broke off as Hanabusa Aido – having shaken off most of his persistently adoring fans for the moment - approached Yuuki for the next dance as she returned from the washroom.

Instinctively, Zero tensed, then forced himself to relax as the tall figure of Kaname appeared beside Yuuki almost magically. Knowing that Aido would be on his best behaviour under the watchful eye of the pureblood, and Yuuki would be in no danger from the playboy vampire now, Zero allowed his gaze to wander over the other dancers.

Twice he glanced back at Yuuki dancing with Aido. The vampire was holding her faultlessly as they waltzed together, his steps graceful and confident. His fingers rested very lightly on Yuuki's right shoulder and at her slender waist as if to avoid any possible recrimination from the watchful Kaname Kuran.

And Zero couldn't help but smirk again.

He, Zero Kiriyu, wasn't a noble class vampire, he didn't even qualify for the lower class of normal vampires… but -

_He'd _touched those creamy smooth shoulders… and not just with his fingertips…

_He _was intimate with the soft skin on her neck on both sides.

_He'd _wrapped _both _arms around that slender waist and pulled her to him on more than a dozen different occasions…

And as he watched Aido raising Yuuki's small hand to his lips diffidently and kissing her fingertips in thanking her for the dance, Zero savoured a dark surge of triumph.

_He'd_ held her hand a million times… _he_'d never even had to ask for permission…

She'd caught _his _hand in hers just as many times…

_He'd _even kissed and licked her fingers, her palm…

Zero broke off suddenly, breathing hard and scowling fiercely as the hot surge of triumph in his chest disappeared suddenly, leaving a hollow ache in its place… but it wasn't him that Yuuki was dancing with now, was it? It wasn't him whom Yuuki was smiling up at… Then why the _hell _was he still here in the hall, heart thumping each time a dance ended, trying to drag up enough courage to approach her for a dance? What a goddamned prized idiot he was…

Why would Yuuki want to dance with him anyway? It was time he cut her a break, she was always looking out for him, worrying over him… Yes, Yuuki should at least enjoy tonight without his moody presence, without the anguish in his eyes dampening the sparkle in hers, without his inner torment causing her generous tears to flow…

Deliberately, he looked away, heading for one of the French windows.

"You could ask her, you know…" Zero paused and looked down, startled. He'd noticed Yori coming towards him out of the corner of his eye but had assumed she was merely making her way to the entrance of the hall to look for refreshments.

"Ask who what?" he asked evenly, even though he knew who she meant. His frown deepened forbiddingly.

Yori sighed - rather dramatically, he thought. "You could ask Yuuki to dance with you…" she elaborated, pronouncing each word slowly and with care, as though thinking him rather dense.

"I don't dance" he answered shortly, wishing she'd just go away and leave him alone.

Yori shrugged. "Well, you've been staring at her the whole evening, I thought…" she trailed off. Apparently, Zero was unaware of Yuuki's plan to dance with him, she realised rather belatedly. Well, well…

Zero glared at her furiously. "I have _not _been staring at Yuuki" he ground out, even as he felt his cheeks heat up.

Yori pursed her lips for a moment, looking at him. "Could've fooled me…" she murmured very softly. Goodness, was Zero Kiriyu actually blushing? she thought.

Zero inhaled sharply, his glare increasing by the second, wanting to hit something, anything…

"Well, OK, if you say so…" said Yori rather vaguely, finally aware of the danger vibes emanating from Zero's tense person and quickly brushing past him to escape out of the hall.

Zero closed his eyes for a moment, leaning his head back against the wall. God, _had _he been staring at Yuuki the whole evening? Was it _that _obvious? His gaze swept around the hall – it didn't look like anyone'd noticed his brief conversation with Yori.

Exhaling suddenly, he turned around and continued on his way to the nearest French windows, muttering curses under his breath and causing Shiki and Rima to glance at him in surprise as they waltzed past.

-- To Be Continued --


	15. Chap 06: May I Have This Dance? Part 4

**Author Notes: **Part 4.

Finally - here is the part that contains "The Dance", it was actually written way before Parts 1-3 coz I usually start from a scene then work forwards & backwards as needed - just my style. Hope it meets with your expectations, I certainly enjoyed writing it!

**Appreciation:** Thanks to Dark Huntress Rikali for d little idea on Ichijo being glared at in Part 3, I hadn't originally planned to expand on any of the dances except for Aido's and "The Dance" but what the heck, I think Takuma's cute too... kyaaaaa! -fangirl squeal-

-- Continued --

After the dance ended, Yuuki declined the next one and moved to lean against the wall. She was a little tired and her calves were starting to ache. She looked around the ballroom again, rather hopelessly. It was impossible that she was unable to find Zero now. Earlier that evening, everytime she looked, she'd seen his tall form leaning against the wall, arms folded, watching the gaiety with sombre eyes. But each time she tried to reach his side, she'd been waylaid by someone else wanting a dance or a chat.

And now the evening was drawing to a close with only two songs left to play - she'd checked earlier... Yuuki let her head rest against the wall and closed her eyes in despair. Where could Zero be? She still owed him a dance.

"Yuuki-chan!"

It was Takuma, smiling as he made his way towards her, light glinting of the shiny strands of light brown hair that fell carelessly over his eyes. "Hey, dance again with me?" he said, reaching for her hand.

Yuuki hesitated. She had already danced with him earlier… but no, it was Zero she wanted to dance with now. "No, thank you, Ichijo-sempai…" she refused him gently as she pulled back her hand. He looked rather startled at first, and she now realised she must be one of the few girls, if any, who would actually refuse to dance with the tall, gentle vampire with the beautiful smile.

Then his brow cleared as he looked towards his left, where Yuuki's eyes were suddenly drawn to.

"Ah, Kaname!" he greeted, turning back to wink at Yuuki. "Don't worry, Yuuki-chan, I understand perfectly…!" Without waiting to hear her reply, he turned away, thinking that Yuuki must have been waiting for Kaname to dance with her again.

"Yuuki, shall we…" Kaname held out his hand to her then paused, seeing the look of despair in Yuuki's eyes which she tried unsuccessfully to hide. "What's wrong, my dear?"

She really shouldn't burden him with such petty problems as this… but…

"Kaname-sempai, it's Zero, I can't find him anywhere!" she burst out.

"Kiriyu-kun? Why would you be looking for him?" and Kaname just couldn't help the hard note that crept into his voice. Then more gently, "Can I help instead?"

Yuuki shook her head regretfully. "No, Kaname-sempai… I wanted to dance with Zero, it's almost the last dance already… but I just can't find him!"

Kaname stood silent for a moment, watching Yuuki bite her lip as a sudden tear of frustration slid down her cheek. A clean handkerchief gently lifted it away. "Don't cry, Yuuki" he murmured gently.

Yuuki took a deep breath and smiled tearfully. "Silly, isn't it… but I promised myself I would dance with you, and Fa – the Chairman, and Zero. And I have danced with you both but…" she broke off, blinking hard.

Kaname was silent for a moment as he regarded her, then he sighed soundlessly, knowing his wish of seeing her happy was always greater than that of minimising any time she spent in that ex-human's miserable company. So be it… after all, it was only a dance.

"If that's the case, you don't have to cry, Yuuki" he smiled, placing elegant hands on her bare shoulders to turn her towards one of the French windows on the left side of the ballroom. "Kiriyu-kun is outside on the balcony…third one from the left"

Yuuki turned to look at him in surprise then a smile of delight crossed her features as she blinked away her tears. The thought that Kaname might be mistaken, or deliberately misleaading her never even occurred to her. She pressed his hands in gratitude, thanking him mutely with her eyes before whirling around and moving quickly towards the set of French windows he indicated.

"You're too kind, Kaname…" murmured Takuma who had materialised quietly at Kaname's side. The two vampires watched as Yuuki pulled open the French windows and stepped out onto the balcony.

"It's only a dance, Takuma…" Kaname's voice was quiet.

Zero was looking out at the school grounds, his arms folded on the top of the wrought iron railing, heedless of the cool night wind ruffling his silvery hair. Bending down to rest his forehead on his forearms, he groaned silently. He must be going mad - having thought of Yuuki all evening, he could now even trick his senses into smelling her soft sweet scent right on this balcony… Why was he still out here, tormenting himself further? A soft step sounded behind him and he swung around and straightened up, automatically wiping all expression from his face, but his eyes widened when he saw Yuuki standing before him.

"Yuuki…?" he said softly, incredulously. Here on the darkened balcony, her dress and skin seemed to glow softly and he took a step closer, his keen eyesight taking in the sheen of tears still visible in the large brown eyes staring at him. "What's wrong, Yuuki? Did someone…" His chest constricted for a moment, had someone tried to…

Yuuki shook her head impatiently. "I'm fine. Is this where you've been hiding all this time?" she asked.

He relaxed a fraction when he heard annoyance in her voice, rather than fear, then shrugged with studied carelessness. "So?"

Hands on hips, Yuuki sighed exasperatedly. It's almost the last dance, Zero…!"

"Go enjoy it with Kuran then…" he said shortly, squashing the almost wild hope that had surged up in him when he first saw her.

"But… it's you I want to dance with" she said, in a softer tone.

Zero's jaw dropped. "What?" he breathed, unbelievingly.

"I said, I want to dance with you!" Yuuki caught one of his hands in her own small one. "And I didn't know where you were hiding all this time. C'mon, it's going to start…!"

Zero resisted her tugging, even as his long fingers closed around her warm small hand. "I don't want to go back in there" he protested, wincing as the words made him sound rather like a petulant child.

Yuuki tossed her head. "Fine, then we'll dance here..." she said, shivering slightly as the wind picked up.

"No way, it's too cold..."

Yuuki had discarded her shawl ages ago, warm with the exertion of the dances and the warmer air in the hall. Now the cool wind raised goose bumps on her bare skin. She released Zero's hand to rub her upper arms, looking at him challengingly.

"So?" she asked. He exhaled and gave up, allowing her to pull him unresisting back into the warmer air of the hall.

As they moved towards the middle of the floor, faces turned to stare, voices whispered surprise – the moody school guardian, Zero Kiriyu, was going to dance?

Zero shrugged off his jacket and dropped it carelessly on a nearby chair as the hall seemed very warm after the cool air outside. He stopped suddenly. "Yuuki… you should be dancing with Kaname…. I... can't… "

Yuuki's head tilted to one side, surveying him, a small frown appearing between her eyes. "I already have - earlier. More than once in fact. You saw us, right?"

Then, as he continued to look at her, she continued "But I haven't danced with you. Anyway, it was Kaname-sempai who told me where you were…" She continued pulling him towards the middle of the dance floor, completely missing the amazed look on Zero's face as his gaze swept around the ballroom.

He caught sight of the two tall elegant figures of Kuran Kaname and Ichijo Takuma standing at the entrance of the hall. The pureblood's gaze was steady on him. Zero returned his look, hesitated, then nodded his head once. Briefly. Kaname inclined his head in return, gracefully. Ichijo's face was almost comical in his surprise at he witnessed the subtle masculine exchange. Then the pureblood vampire turned and left the hall, followed by Ichijo. Zero stared after them for a moment before Yuuki tugged on his hand, and he only saw her and no one else.

She smiled up at him, then dipped a small curtsey, holding out her skirt.

"May I have this dance, Zero Kiriyu?"

Zero's lips quirked, he just couldn't help it. "I would be honoured, Yuuki Cross…" he said, executing a slight and formal bow. The lights dimmed again and the song started. Zero closed his eyes for a moment, willing himself not to wake up if this was merely a dream… Even thought he wasn't exactly sure about the actual dancing bit…

Yuuki smiled as if she knew what was going through his mind. Her arms reached up and she linked slender fingers at the back of his neck, moving a step closer to him. Zero gulped softly then reached out to encircle her slim waist with his arms. They started swaying to the music and he prayed it would never end, oblivious to the stares around them, conscious only of Yuuki smiling at him as they moved in perfect unison to the music, her eyes shining.

Yuuki sighed happily, she'd fulfilled the promise she made to herself. She'd enjoyed the evening thoroughly but it was only now that she was really able to relax. Somehow, when she was dancing with the others, even with Kaname-sempai, she felt like she was always on guard, playing a role, behaving as expected of her.

But now… she could relax and just be… herself. She wasn't a human girl Kaname Kuran was protective over, she wasn't a School Prefect that kept the Day Class girls away from the Night Class elite, she wasn't someone who might be thought of as prey, she wasn't someone's darling daughter, she was just… Yuuki Cross.

She had no need to think of conversation topics, witty remarks or studied laughter, no need to think of how she behaved or looked like. Not with Zero… it was akin to the feeling one got when swapping a tight fitting dress for much worn and loved pyjamas - pure comfort.

Zero closed his eyes. There was no need to wear a mask now, no need to pretend to look bored or annoyed or irritated. The world at the moment consisted of only Yuuki and him. It was the supreme comfort of being with someone who'd seen the best and the worst of him and accepted him just as he was.

Well… he wasn't quite sure what the _best _in him was, but he knew what the worst was… and somehow at this moment, it didn't matter one bit. It was pure comfort that held a tinge of bittersweet ache, of what he wished could be… and Zero inhaled shakily, for a very, very brief second unaccountably close to tears.

The song seemed to end almost before it had begun and the scattered applause and cheers took him by surprise. Couples started to wander off the dance floor in search of drinks or places to sit. Zero blinked, still holding Yuuki, very reluctant to let her go. What a fool he'd been not to seek her out earlier…

He looked down at Yuuki but before he could open his mouth to speak, he noticed her looking over at the music console set up beside the stage by the group hired to provide the evening's entertainment. Catching the attention of the man behind the console, Yuuki made a small gesture with her hand and offered him a winning smile. The man looked startled for a moment, then smiled and nodded in return.

"Well, the dance is ending, ladies and gentlemen…" boomed his voice over the loudspeakers. Zero released Yuuki slowly, reluctantly.

But - I will play two extra songs just to bring this gala evening to a perfect close!" The remaining couples who were still on the floor clapped in appreciation and a few more quickly moved to the floor as well.

Zero swung back to Yuuki, looking as if he couldn't believe his ears. She was smiling happily at him.

"Wow, two extra songs, huh?" she commented casually, just as though she didn't have a hand in orchestrating it. Stepping close to Zero, she slid her arms around his back and rested her forehead on his right shoulder, the soft cotton of his shirt warm against her skin, his familiar scent surrounding and reassuring her. With her heels lending her height, she could feel the cool metal of Zero's belt buckle against her stomach.

_She just put her arms around me in public. _Zero swallowed even as his own arms closed around her, pulling her lightly against him, breathing in her enticingly soft sweet scent as he rested his chin on her hair. I'm in heaven… he thought somewhat dazedly.

A slow love song started. Yearning lyrics sung in an aching voice took on new meaning as they started swaying to the music again. Zero was conscious once again of the faint stirring of his bloodlust but it was controllable and he now realised this was the real reason why Yuuki had cornered him this morning to offer him her blood. Had she wanted to dance with him all this while? Was that why Yori had asked him? Questions swirled in his mind as he continued holding her.

But there were other urges stirring in him now that he was powerless to overcome. Slightly panicked, he stopped suddenly, taking a step back from Yuuki. Automatically, she took a step forward, causing him to take another step back. Yuuki lifted her head and stared at him in surprise, instinctively moving closer. "What's wrong, Zero?" she asked, frowning a little as he took a third step back, glancing quickly over his shoulder in case they bumped into another couple.

"Ah… we shouldn't be dancing like this" said Zero.

Yuuki merely looked puzzled. "Why not?" she asked.

"Because…!" Zero closed his eyes, exhaling. He opened his eyes to see her still looking at him. "Because, Yuuki… you're a girl… and I'm… I'm…" he broke off, wishing he'd never started.

"A guy?" said Yuuki, helpfully.

Zero snorted, unable to stop himself. "Yeah, well, when a guy's holding a girl this close… this tightly…" he broke off.

Yuuki looked at him in amazement. "Zero, are you… blushing?" she asked, eyes wide with surprise.

He growled at that - he was _not _blushing. Well, he was but... Grasping her waist suddenly with both hands, he tugged her against him once more, holding her fast, feeling his body stir again with latent desire against her stomach. He heard Yuuki's gasp of surprise against his shoulder a second later. "Uh… Zero…" she said, her voice muffled "that's not your… um, Bloody Rose gun… is it?"

He exhaled. "Nope" his voice was grim. So much for wanting to dance with him… after this, Yuuki was never even going to _touch _him again…

Yuuki shifted slightly in his arms. "Is that…? Why are you…?" Her voice was still muffled against his shirt and he knew she was blushing too.

He sighed and loosened his hold, allowing her to step back. Yuuki was studying the floor or perhaps her shoes, because he couldn't see her face.

"It's – it's what happens when a guy is holding a girl he – he…" he broke off, confused. Dear God, had he almost confessed his love for her then? "… when a guy is holding a… beautiful girl… in his arms…" he ended lamely.

Yuuki lifted her head, lips parted in surprise, cheeks flushed brightly. Zero was sure his cheeks were on fire as well. Say something, please! he thought desperately, staring at her mutely, holding his breath as he waited for her reply.

Then she blinked. "Oh, it's a… it's a… guy thing?" she ventured tentatively, wondering why Zero looked as if he were going to explode with frustration…

Zero choked, then started laughing, despite the mortifying situation in which he was in. He just couldn't help himself - Yuuki was… priceless!

Everyone turned to stare at Zero Kiriyu, the moody and grumpy school guardian, throwing back his head and roaring with laughter. Even the Chairman stared. The man at the console merely looked confused - obviously he hadn't thought the romantic songs he'd chosen would have this strange an effect on the young man on the dance floor…

It seemed to take forever but finally, Zero caught hold of himself and stopped laughing with an effort, at the sight of Yuuki, hands on hips, colour high in her cheeks and her large brown eyes flashing murder. He smothered a final chuckle, swiping away tears of mirth from his eyes before pulling her close once more.

Yuuki resisted, her shoulders tense, humiliated at the thought of Zero laughing at her in public and trying very, very hard not to be disarmed at how wonderful his laugh had sounded at the same time. She didn't think she'd ever heard him laugh before... at least not like this...

Zero bent his head, resting his forehead against hers and breathing in her sweet intoxicating scent. "Sorry, Yuuki… but I'm not laughing at you" he said softly, his voice still slightly unsteady with mirth. She continued to gaze at him mutinously.

"Don't be angry… please" he coaxed, holding her gaze and smiling at her until she relaxed and smiled back reluctantly. Relieved, he pulled her into his arms again, squeezing tight for a moment before forcing his arms to rest loosely at the small of her back, careful to keep his hips apart from her again. "Yeah, it's a guy thing, Yuuki…" he bent down to murmur into her ear. "… but only if you don't mind…"

He held his breath again as he waited for her reply.

Yuuki blinked, her hands against Zero's chest, feeling the none too steady thump of his heart. Then she sighed, shaking her head slightly before resting her cheek against his shoulder once more. She let her hands slide down his chest and around to his back again, wondering a little at the sudden shiver that passed through him.

"Well… I guess I don't mind since it's Zero…" she murmured back then took a step forward, tightening her arms around him to pull him closer and allowing his hips to touch her body once more.

Zero exhaled shakily in relief, closing his eyes and tightening his own arms around her, almost awed with relief that Yuuki didn't push him away even when his body continued to throb against her.

"Thank you …" he whispered against her hair, wishing the song would never stop so that he could hold her in his arms forever…

A sudden giggle sounded against his shoulder.

He stiffened automatically. "Sorry…" Yuuki whispered quickly. "It just feels so – strange…" She broke off, another giggle escaping her.

Zero stopped dancing completely. He couldn't believe it - she was actually _laughing _at this?

Yuuki sobered up when she saw his look. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" she whispered, biting her lip hard and tightening her arms around him. "I won't laugh anymore, Zero - I promise…" she added quickly.

Zero relaxed warily, wondering if the heat in his face was going to be permanent. It now seemed like she'd seen and known just about everything there was to see and know about him, and he wasn't exactly sure if the feeling of sheer relief or apprehension was stronger in him at this moment, along with a surge of humble relief that left him almost weak kneed.

Yuuki hid her still hot face in his shirt, wondering why she'd said she didn't mind when she should. But she didn't and that was that. Even though it made her suddenly aware that Zero wasn't just her childhood friend slash adopted brother slash vampire hunter turned vampire… he was also… a male… and already almost… a man…

Lost in their thoughts, they continued to hold each other tight long after the two songs ended.

- o -

Zero linked his fingers with Yuuki's as they walked out of the hall in silence, his uniform jacket across his other arm. He'd wanted to throw it around her shoulders but she'd assured him she was warm enough with her shawl.

The dance had officially ended, the caterers were packing up all leftover food and their equipment. Staff would be taking down the decorations and removing the tables and chairs the following day. The last few couples wandered out of the hall and back to the dorms. Zero and Yuuki felt most disinclined to bother much about rules tonight as they walked back slowly to the main building.

As they moved through the dining room and down the corridor, they both looked straight ahead, steadfastly ignoring the fact that they were holding hands and feeling unaccountably self-conscious all of a sudden.

Pausing outside Yuuki's room door, Zero finally turned to look down at her. "Well…" she said, blushing a little under his intent gaze. "Erm… goodnight, Zero…" She started to pull her hand from his but he tightened his grip. She looked down at their clasped hands, then back up at him. "Zero?"

"Yuuki…" his voice was husky. "Can I… kiss you… goodnight?"

Yuuki blinked in surprise – surely he didn't need to ask anymore? "Well, of course…" she proferred a cheek.

She had never seen Zero's eyes so intense… so focused. The amethyst had darkened to a dark twilight purple now as he gazed down at her and shook his head slowly. "Like this…" he whispered. A long fingered hand tilted her chin up to face him. He paused for a moment, then, as Yuuki continued staring at him, her breathing suddenly shallow, he dipped his head, tilting it a little to the side and placed his lips gently on hers, closing his eyes as a cherished fantasy finally turned to reality.

Yuuki's eyes fluttered shut. Zero's lips were soft and gentle on hers and she felt no alarm, only surprise and wonder. Then he drew back, an almost tentative look in his eyes.

Yuuki touched her lips wonderingly with trembling fingertips. "Zero… that was…" she whispered.

"What…?" he whispered back, heart thumping painfully in his chest, not breathing as he waited for her reply.

"…sweet…" she whispered back, eyes wide with surprise.

Zero exhaled in relief. Dropping his jacket, he bent forward and rested his hands on her shoulders, touching his lips again to hers, kissing her very lightly and making them both gasp at the feather light contact that felt almost too much to bear. Both their lips were parted but he made no attempt to enter her mouth, deliberately keeping the kiss innocent and chaste. Yuuki moaned softly against his mouth, reaching up a hand to cup it around the back of his neck, tangling in the silky silver strands as she pulled his head closer, unable to bear the almost intangible contact anymore.

He snaked an arm around her waist, drawing her slender form closer to him, moulding her to his body as he kissed her again… and again… and again… his mind spinning with desire and the soft sweet scent of her, the soft desirable form against him.

Yuuki found herself being released suddenly and she opened dazed eyes as warm fingers grasped her upper arms, holding her steady. "What..." she murmured, blinking.

"Shhh..." warned Zero softly, jerking his head at the end of the corridor where footsteps could be heard. Almost automatically, they each took a step backward, Zero bending down quickly to retrieve his fallen jacket and straightening up as the Chairman came into view.

"Ahh... going to bed now?" beamed the Chairman. He rubbed his hands gleefully. "A most successful dance, I must say... Everybody enjoyed themselves, the food was good, the music excellent... and Yuuki, my dear, you really looked beautiful tonight!" He smiled fondly at Yuuki and she smiled back at him, rather tremulously, cheeks still warm with colour.

"Well" continued the older man as he clapped a hand onto Zero's shoulder. "You had fun too, right? At least you danced once, thanks to Yuuki..." He started towards his own room on the other side of the building, calling "Goodnight" over his shoulder.

Zero and Yuuki were both silent for a moment, listening to the Chairman's footsteps dying away. Then, they glanced tentatively at each other, speaking at the same time.

"Are you..."

"Why did..."

They stopped awkwardly. Zero nodded at Yuuki silently, telling her to go first, his eyes falling again to her lips that looked pink and moist and just a little bit swollen from his kisses.

Yuuki looked at him, tilting her head to one side. "Why did you kiss me, Zero?" she asked softly. Her eyes were huge and he stared at her, not knowing what to say, wanting to drown in those eyes forever.

Then he cleared his throat. "I... I just felt like it..." he mumbled, knowing he was a spineless coward for not saying the words he really wanted to. As she continued to stare at him, he scowled. "Don't worry, it won't happen again…!" Swinging around, he started off towards his room.

"Wait!" Yuuki took a step forward and caught at his hand. He stopped but didn't look at her. "I'm not mad, Zero" she said softly. He kept still.

Yuuki tugged on his hand. "Zero? Look at me…" she said.

Silently, he turned and looked down at her, as though unsure whether to believe her or not.

Yuuki paused, conscious of a pang in her chest to see Zero looking so vulnerable. "That was my first kiss, you know..." she confessed softly.

Zero drew in a shaky breath. "Yeah, mine too" he admitted. A long moment passed as they stared at each other, Yuuki's eyes filling with tears she couldn't have explained if she'd tried. They didn't know who moved first but Zero uttered a sound like a strangled laugh and she was suddenly in his arms again. They were both trembling slightly. "It was… nice... wasn't it?" murmured Yuuki softly against his shoulder, cheeks flaming once more. Zero smiled and buried his head in her hair, inhaling deeply before he answered "It was damn good, Yuuki..."

Yuuki tightened her arms around him and he held her for a long moment, longing to spend the night holding her close to him. Reluctantly, he sighed and released her. "It's late and you're tired, Yuuki. You'd better get changed and sleep..." She started to shake her head but yawned suddenly and had to abandon any hope of denying his statement. He smiled down at her, brushing a kiss across her forehead before opening her room door and pushing her gently in.

"Goodnight, Zero..." she turned to smile at him somewhat shyly, still remembering the kiss.

"Good night, Yuuki" he said softly, holding her gaze for a moment longer before turning and walking back to his room… before he embarrassed himself by asking her if he could sleep in her bed tonight.

Yuuki closed her room door and sagged against it, trembling hands clasped to burning cheeks. Her first kiss... and it was with Zero Kiriyu. How unexpected… and how… gentle... and sweet it was...

Zero closed his own room door and walked slowly to his desk at the window, staring unseeingly out of it. His first kiss, and with Yuuki… He closed his eyes, relieving every second of the first kiss and each succeeding one. She'd liked it, he knew she did… but – and his hands clenched hard on the back of the desk chair - what she thought about it tomorrow was anyone's guess… or even if she thought about it at all…

Neither of them slept much that night.

-- To Be Continued --

**A/N: **Well - about the song ZxY danced to, I decided not to mention the title coz everyone has their own personal favourite for them, right? I know I have… if you wanna know, I got the idea for this entire chapter when a picture of Zero & Yuuki slow dancing together wrapped in each other's arms & oblivious to everything else suddenly popped into my head one day while listening to Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers. It's a personal favourite of mine...

Anyway, hope you enjoyed it... Cheers.


	16. Chap 06: May I Have This Dance? Part 5

**Author Notes: **Part 5.

Ack, where did this come from?! Well, I don't like loose ends and there was a string hanging at the end of Part 4 so… _-snips & ties neatly-_ there, that's much better.

-- Continued --

Zero awoke slowly. Residual memories of dreams still swirled around his mind and he tried to hold on to them until full consciousness chased them away. He opened his eyes to see sunlight streaming in from his window. Closing his eyes again, he flipped onto his back.

It was Sunday morning and he was reluctant to get up. The memory of last night's dance with Yuuki, and their kiss afterwards was still fresh in his mind and had fueled his heated dreams last night.

Finally, Zero sighed and got out of bed. He couldn't quite shake the feeling that Yuuki was going to regret it this morning and he knew the slight feeling of apprehension he felt was due to that. He didn't have any regrets over the kiss and he could understand, well sort of understand anyway, why she'd let him kiss her – last night had been nothing short of… magical. He paused for a long moment, lost in his thoughts. Finally, he grabbed his towel and went off to the bathroom to shower. Zero didn't meet either Yuuki nor the Chairman on his way.

Yuuki had awakened earlier than Zero and there was a happy smile on her face as she opened her eyes… until the memories of last night's dance rushed into her consciousness. Sitting up, she hugged her knees as she closed her eyes and relieved each memory separately, from the awed look on Zero's face that chased away his frown when he saw her in her dress, to the shattering words he'd said on the way to the hall that almost ruined the evening – she ignored the sudden prick of tears at the back of her eyes - to each of the succeeding dance she had – here she smiled and pursed her lips alternately – until the most memorable dance of all – here she smiled a small, tender smile at the memory of Zero laughing although it still galled her a little about what the others must have thought, him laughing at her - and finally, how it had all ended right outside her door.

Yuuki's smile faded and she leant her chin on her arms, frowning a little and staring unseeingly at her bare toes. It had seemed the perfect way to end a wondrous evening… and she didn't necessarily regret that it happened… at least she didn't _think _she did… but what did that kiss mean? Exactly? And… what was Zero's thoughts on it, kissing her in that _unbrotherly _fashion? And what did he think of her most _unsisterly _reaction? Or had he already forgotten about the entire thing?

Yuuki buried her blushing face in her hands, suddenly unwilling to face Zero. It was another five minutes before she forced herself to get out of bed – she wasn't going to spend a lovely Sunday lazing about in bed after all…

Zero dropped off his towel in his room and ran impatient fingers through his damp hair before walking to the kitchen. He stopped short in the doorway - Yuuki was sitting at the kitchen table, dressed in a plain white T-shirt and long jeans skirt, chin propped in one hand as she absently traced small circles on the table's plastic surface with her finger. A half eaten sandwich on a plate lay forgotten beside her elbow.

She looked up, startled when she realised someone was there and blushed furiously when she saw it was Zero, looking down at the table again almost immediately. It didn't take a genius to realise that Yuuki was also thinking about last night's kiss and worse, she was embarrassed as hell about it.

Zero sought to dispel the sudden awkward silence. "Hey…" he said casually, walking to the counter and reaching for a mug. He noticed she didn't have a cup in front of her. "Want some coffee?" he asked.

Yuuki was still staring at the table. "Uh… no… thank you…" she mumbled.

Zero forced himself to finish making his coffee before walking over to place his steaming mug on the table, conscious of Yuuki tensing suddenly as he neared her. He hesitated then laid a hand on her shoulder. "Yuuki…" It was as if his touch contained an electric charge – Yuuki jumped up, bumping the table's edge and causing Zero's coffee to splash on the table. They both ignored the spill.

Zero frowned. "Yuuki, please…"

Yuuki flung up a hand, stopping his words although she was still looking at the floor. "I – I have to go, I'm late for… for…" she stumbled over her words, belatedly realising it was Sunday and they'd completed all their chores yesterday. For once, she didn't even have homework as an excuse. Shit…

Zero stood in front of her, his mind a complete blank. Finally, he reached out to hold her shoulders, shaking her slightly. "Yuuki, relax…" She stopped, her breathing quick and shallow and her shoulders tense under his hands. "Look at me…" he said softly.

Yuuki raised her head slowly, still blushing. Her large brown eyes had a wary, uncertain look. Zero took a deep breath. 'About last night…" he started, breaking off suddenly as he realised how horribly cliché the words sounded. Oh _God_…

Yuuki gave another gasp and twisted free of his hands. "I – I don't want to talk about it!" she gasped out, then ran out of the kitchen, leaving a stunned Zero staring after her. He started to go after her but stopped himself - perhaps Yuuki needed some time alone.

Rather deflated, he sat down at the kitchen table, getting up a second later to grab some kitchen paper to wipe up the spilled coffee. His appetite had completely disappeared but he picked up Yuuki's half eaten sandwich and ate it anyway, washing it down with his coffee.

He couldn't find her anywhere after that. The Chairman had gone to the hall to take a look at the cleaning before leaving the Academy to settle all outstanding caterers and decorators bills for the dance. Zero even peeped in Yuuki's room but it was empty. The gold dress she'd worn last night was thrown over her desk chair and it brought last night's dance rushing back to Zero again… how close he'd held her when they'd danced, how he'd stumbled over his explanation, and - again blushing furiously at the memory - how she'd been… amused at his body's involuntary reaction but sweetly accepting it all the same. But most of all, how she'd allowed him to kiss her and the wondering look on her face after that.

Zero groaned, leaning against the wall before dragging his hands through his hair. He was sure she'd enjoyed the kiss but why was she avoiding him now? Was it because she'd kissed a vampire? But so was Kuran… the other guy in her life… Could it be she was _afraid _of him now? The notion was so laughable that Zero couldn't help a wry twist of his lips. How could Yuuki be afraid of a mere kiss when she hadn't bat an eye over all the times he'd drunk her blood? When she'd seen him with bloodlust in his eyes and lips stained with her own blood? When she'd seen him sink razor sharp fangs into her wrist? No, she couldn't possibly be afraid of him…

Pushing off the wall, he left her room, wandering over the campus grounds, rather absently ticking off a couple of Day Class girls who were taking advantage of his and Yuuki's absence by trying to climb over the Moon Dorm walls, despite the fact it was only mid-morning.

Zero even strode up the hill overlooking the lake but there were only a group of Day Class girls sitting there, chatting excitedly and giggling - he didn't need to hear the words to know they could only be talking about last night's dance. When they noticed his presence, he escaped, striding quickly off before he heard anything about him and Yuuki.

Finally, he stopped by the stables at the other end of Cross Academy. The stable hand was there and Zero paused to stroke White Lily's nose as she whickered softly and stretched down her head to nudge his jeans pocket. "Sorry" he murmured to her. "I'll bring sugar next time, OK?"

A slight movement outside the stables caught his eye and patting a rather disappointed White Lily a final time, he walked towards the exit, catching Yuuki's scent in the slight breeze before he even saw her. She was sitting on a patch of grass, leaning back against the stable wall, crossed arm resting on her bent knees as she gazed out at a corner of the lake visible from this side.

Zero hesitated, wondering if she'd run away this time but he couldn't stand not having her talk to him. It was strange… he was a person of few words, even to Yuuki, but most weekends, they would spend together, either in the study room, or watching TV together, or even patrolling together. And he missed that, even though it'd only been a couple of hours since he found her in the kitchen this morning.

He paused at the door of the stables and tapped his knuckles lightly on the doorframe. Yuuki swung around, startled. Seeing Zero there, she blushed again and pursed her lips in vexation. She didn't say anything but swung around to face the lake again.

Well, Yuuki still staying there and not fleeing was a slight improvement - Zero didn't relish the idea of chasing Yuuki all over the school grounds like an idiot, particularly when half the students had seen them slow dancing together…

Cautiously, he stepped out now and lowered himself slowly onto the grass beside her on her right, careful not to touch her. He bent his right leg and rested his right elbow on it, looking out at the lake. Yuuki didn't say anything but she shifted slightly, giving him more room.

They sat there in silence for a couple of minutes, leaning back against the stable walls, listening to familiar sounds coming from within the stables, the soft whinnies of the horses and the familiar sounds that the stable hand made as he went about his chores, talking to the horses and feeding them.

Yuuki continued gazing at the lake, seemingly determined not to start talking.

Finally, Zero blew out a sigh. "Yuuki…are you angry with me?" he asked quietly, turning to face her.

Yuuki shook her head slowly from side to side, still resting it on the wall. She still didn't look at him.

Zero sighed in relief. "Look at me, Yuuki" he said firmly. She hesitated, then glanced up at him. The wary uncertain look was still in her eyes and he didn't know what to say to make it go away and make Yuuki smile at him in her carefree and affectionate way again.

"Was it that bad?" he asked finally, his voice almost a whisper. He was quite sure it hadn't been but perhaps he'd been mistaken, after all, it was his first time as well..

A pause.

"No…" Yuuki said in a very low voice. Then she sighed and twisted around to look at him properly. Zero waited with bated breath.

For a moment, Yuuki almost smiled at the uncertain look on his face. Then she took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a moment as if gathering her thoughts.

"Zero…" she said, pausing to catch her lower lip with her small teeth and making Zero suddenly long to kiss her again. She shrugged helplessly. "I'm not angry with you… and the kiss wasn't bad… at all… but I… I…" she broke off to shrug again. "I feel… I don't know, confused… I guess…"

Zero knew she was speaking the truth and it hit him then, like a ton of bricks, what Yuuki thought about this. The words she'd spoken back in the café sounded again in his mind – she regarded him as a brother only.

Well – it was only to be expected, wasn't it? Zero groaned silently as he bent forward and rested his forehead in his hand for a moment. What had he expected, that she would fall into his arms as soon as she saw him this morning and confess her undying love for him?! Get real, Kiriyu…!

"Hey Zero, you OK?" Yuuki asked. She got up on her knees to place a hand tentatively on his shoulder. Zero looked up and she started to pull back her hand but quickly, he placed his own over it, trapping her hand. He took her hand off his shoulder but continued to hold it. Yuuki started to pull her hand back again, then paused.

They looked at each other for a long moment, reading the confusion and uncertainty in each other's eyes before Zero finally spoke. "Do you regret… that it happened?" he asked in a low voice, wondering what he'd do if she said yes.

Yuuki hesitated, her eyes mirroring her conflict as she struggled briefly between honesty and… and… heaven only knew what else. Finally, she exhaled softly. "No…" she said, her voice very soft.

Zero exhaled as well and dropped his head for a second in relief.

"But…"

His head jerked up again. Yuuki was biting her lip again, a faint blush still on her cheeks.

"But… it – it didn't mean anything… did it?" she asked, her eyes staring straight at him, innocently enquiring.

Zero inhaled sharply, feeling like he'd been stabbed through the heart.

It didn't mean anything? It… didn't… mean… _anything_…?!

He was speechless for a moment as he stared at her, eyes filled with pain. Yuuki was shocked, she hadn't expected a few words to cause such a reaction from Zero.

"Zero, I – I don't mean…"

Zero took a deep breath then shook his head. Yuuki paused. It was his turn now to struggle between being honest and wanting to set Yuuki's mind at ease. She continued to regard him silently, reading the emotions playing across his face while she waited for him to speak.

Finally, Zero decided on a compromise and sighed. "It meant a lot to me, Yuuki…" he told her evenly, holding her gaze. She gasped softly and tried to pull her hand back once more. He tightened his grip.

"Yuuki…" he continued "It was my first kiss and with my closest friend. How could it not mean anything?" His heart constricted even as he said the words, knowing they were only half true but knowing at the same time that now wasn't the right time to be completely honest.

Yuuki relaxed, allowing her hand to remain in his. His intense gaze was still making her blush but his words were comforting and she smiled tentatively at him. "Well, of course, it meant a lot to me too, Zero…" she said softly.

The words brought a bittersweet ache to Zero, but it was still better than having Yuuki being wary of him and avoiding him…

"Come here…" he said and released her hand to pull her into his arms. Yuuki flung her arms around Zero's neck, very relieved now, and almost knocking him back against the stable wall. All the doubts and confusion that had been swirling around in her mind vanished at Zero's words and she didn't want to think any further why she had a slight nagging feeling that Zero meant to say much more than he had. But it was OK now, he'd said it was a kiss between close friends so that must be it…

Zero closed his eyes as he wrapped his arms around Yuuki. He could feel the slight trembling of relief in her so he didn't say anymore, just held her tight and breathed in her soft sweet scent, relieved that things between them were back to normal… well, somewhat… and regretful that it hadn't turned out exactly as he'd wanted it to.

Finally, Yuuki pulled away and he released her, hands still on her shoulders. Yuuki looked at him. "I'm hungry" she said solemnly.

"What?"

"I'm hungry. I didn't finish my breakfast earlier…"

"Me too. I only had your half-eaten sandwich, you know.." It was time they headed back anyway, the Chairman should've been back from town by now.

Zero got up and dusted off the seat of his jeans before reaching down to pull Yuuki to her feet.

"Really? You ate that…?"

"Yeah… and why do you _always _have to put so much jam…?"

Yuuki laughed, relieved they'd started bantering again. "Silly, that's why my sandwiches always taste better than yours!" she teased, wrinkling her nose at him. They both started down the hill leading back to the main building, Zero hooking his thumbs in his jeans pockets.

Yuuki started humming to herself. It was the last song played last night and the one they'd danced to when they'd held each other close.

"Hey, Yuuki…" said Zero, unable to help himself.

"Hmm?"

"You really looked beautiful last night…"

"Really?" Yuuki smiled delightedly, then she sighed and casually linked her arm through Zero's, causing his heart to skip a beat. "I had a fabulous time, you know… but -"

"But what?"

"I think I enjoyed our dance the best" she said, large brown eyes serious.

Zero raised his eyebrow at her, sudden happiness surging through him. Well, imagine that - eat my _dust_, Kuran!

"But only because it was the most… enlightening… one…"

There was a second's pause then Yuuki burst into peals of delighted laughter at the look of sudden chagrin and blush on Zero's face. She broke away and started running away down the hill, squealing a moment later as he growled "C'mere you…!" and started chasing after her.

-- Chapter End --


	17. Chap 07: Different Kind of Hurt Part 1

**Author Notes: **Another chapter, complete in itself this time!

Thank you all so much for reviewing my work, I'm so glad you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them! This was done just yesterday but I'm putting it up way ahead of other chapters already written 'coz I'm still tweaking those… Anyway, enjoy!

14Feb - OK, changed my mind, this is Part 1, and am uploading Part 2 a day earlier as a small Valentine's Day 'gift' to you all. I'm updating Part 1 just to correct a couple of typos...

-- Chapter Start --

"Yuuki, will you stop looking at every single bargain you see?" Zero sounded annoyed as he glanced over his shoulder and saw Yuuki a few feet away, looking with rapt attention at some rather girlish dresses displayed in a shop window. The banner proclaiming "Sale On Now!" hung over the shop entrance wafted gently in the evening breeze.

Yuuki looked absently up the street at Zero, before she reluctantly walked to meet him. "All right, all right, let's go…" she grumbled. Zero didn't say anything as they continued on their way to the bus stop. She glanced at him, laden with packages, the result of their two hour of grocery shopping at the Chairman's request. Yuuki hadn't minded in the least – any outing was fun for her and she didn't really notice Zero's increasing wariness as the sun started to set.

"It's time we went back, you know" he muttered to her. Yuuki made a face at him "It's Sunday, the Night Class won't be out till much later" She'd actually wanted to stop by her favourite café that sold delicious ice-cream sundaes but she'd lingered so long over the dresses she'd seen earlier that they didn't have time for tea.

Zero kept hustling Yuuki along – the bus stop was still two blocks away and he would feel much better once they'd safely reached the secured and gated compounds of Cross Academy, despite the fact his Bloody Rose gun was tucked in the back of his trousers.

As they walked past a deserted alley, the back of Zero's neck prickled. He could practically feel the almost invisible hairs on his arms stand on end – there was someone… or something… lurking in the alley, and he knew it was looking intently at both of them…

"I'm hungry" said Yuuki rather crossly as she marched along – did Zero have to walk so fast? He knew her legs were much shorter than his and they still had time to spare before the bus left…

Zero shifted the bags in his right hand to his left and closed long fingers over Yuuki's elbow, practically dragging her along. "Hurry" he urged.

Yuuki tried to tug her arm free. "Zero, quit pulling me along, I'll fall!"

The something… that was in the alley had moved closer to them, risking being seen as it tried to get nearer. Zero's jaw clenched. Sensing acute danger had made his fangs grow a little in response and he knew his eyes must be changing colour as well…

As Yuuki continued to fuss, he bent down suddenly to whisper in her ear "Yuuki, there's someone following us, I think it could be… a stray vampire…" There was no way to explain it, but Zero knew. Perhaps it was the hunter blood in him, coming from generations of proud vampire hunters, perhaps it was his heightened senses, a cursed gift from being a vampire himself… in any case, he had to make sure Yuuki got back safely - she was under his watch, his protection…

Yuuki had shut up as soon as Zero's words registered in his mind. She could feel an evil presence now (or thought she did anyhow) and her right hand automatically reached into the left sleeve of the jeans jacket she was wearing over her T-shirt, pulling out her Artemis Rod.

Zero gave her a little push. "Run, Yuuki. I'll take care of him…" Abruptly, he stopped walking and dropped the packages he'd been carrying. The street they were now walking in was rather deserted, the shops having closed half an hour ago. Zero's uneasy gaze swept up and down the street before he turned and faced the alley they were standing in front of. It was further up from the one they were at when he'd first sensed the evil presence but he knew the agility of vampires, it was no effort at all to climb up and down drainpipes or leap from the roofs that jutted out over the back alleys.

Zero reached behind his back and pulled out his Bloody Rose gun, its chain links clinking softly as he brought the gun in front of him. It's familiar weight and feel was steady in his right hand as his thumb released the safety catch. A soft sliding sound from behind reached his ear as Yuuki extended her weapon to its full length, blithely disregarding Zero's instruction to run. He cursed softly under his breath – why did she always, always, _never _listen to him…!

Yuuki stood lightly, poised for battle, adrenaline rushing through her, along with the old fear that had never quite left her… not when her earliest memories had consisted of a blood crazed vampire, seconds away from killing her on a blood soaked snowy mountain…

Then, she saw him. A creature leapt down lightly, gracefully, from the three story high rooftop to land in front of Zero. He lifted his head, sniffing their scent and the streetlamp a few feet away illuminated his dirty face and glinted off his fangs as he bared his lips at them.

"What's this?" he said and the bloodlust madness was evident in his voice, soft as it was. "A choice morsel of meat… just for me?" The creature grinned and licked his lips in anticipation.

Even Yuuki could smell the unwashed state of his clothing; the smell must have been overpowering to Zero and he also caught the scent of drying blood on the creature's mouth, chin and shirt as well. The vampire had fed and recently, but it hadn't been enough…

"Ooo, what's that? A shiny toy?" goaded the vampire now as his eyes fell on the Bloody Rose gun in Zero's hand. It was pointed steadily at him but he didn't seem afraid. "But I don't want your blood, kind sir… I want hers… I can smell it… so sweet… so delicious…" the high mad laugh that followed raised goose bumps on Yuuki's skin and she took a step back, small hands clenched tight on her Artemis rod.

"Over… my… dead… body" ground out Zero, eyes narrowed and the vampire paused for a moment, catching sight of Zero's lengthening fangs and blood red eyes.

"Oho…! So she's yours, is she? Were you planning to keep her all to yourself then?" asked the vampire wickedly. "Tut tut, mustn't be selfish you know, I'm sure she'd got enough blood to share…" he murmured thoughtfully.

Zero snarled, knuckles turning white as he gripped his gun tighter. He knew the vampire was rankling him, trying to make him angry enough to get careless, but he couldn't help it – he would die before he let this filthy creature get his hands on Yuuki.

The creature bent his knees then suddenly, he was soaring up into the air, somersaulting over Zero's head and landing lightly back on his feet in the space between Yuuki and Zero, facing her now.

Zero cursed and swung round. He saw the stark fear on Yuuki's face as she gasped, her Artemis rod seemingly frozen in her grasp. The vampire closed the gap between them and reached out claw-like hands towards Yuuki.

For a moment, it was as it Yuuki had been transported back ten years ago to when she was just a little girl on a snow covered mountain. The crazed look in the vampire's eyes then was the same as this one – with no rational thought save getting blood and not caring if they had to kill to do it. In fact, killing was probably part of the joy of getting the blood…

Get a grip, Yuuki! she scolded herself and breaking out of the spell of fear, she raised the weapon she held in both hands, feeling the familiar smoothness of the polished surface under her fingers, _knowing _and _feeling _its weight, its reach and its abilities.

Twisting aside to avoid the greedy claws, Yuuki steadied herself with one foot planted firmly behind before springing forward, weight on her other foot as she brought the rod down hard on the vampire's left shoulder. She felt the bone jarring thud as it reverberated back up her stick and all the way up her arms. The vampire stumbled to his knees.

But before Yuuki could bring up her rod again, the vampire leapt up from his current position, launching himself at her, snarling, fangs bared, claws reaching out towards her throat… and Yuuki froze, her horrified eyes on the madness shining out from his eyes, his fangs long and terrible, dried blood staining his lips and chin.

"Yuuki! Get down – now!!" Zero shouted, his panic-laced voice echoed through the back alley and Yuuki wrenched herself out of her fear-induced immobility. She dropped flat on the ground, breaking her fall with the palms of her hands although both knees and one side of her hip registered pain as they struck against the hard ground. She didn't have time to stuff fingers in her ears before the deafening blast of Zero's Bloody Rose gun echoed around the darkened alley.

There was a startled screech from the vampire and Yuuki felt something splatter on the back of her head and back. Thankfully, the crazed vampire's knees bent as he fell, causing him to topple over backwards, away from her instead of onto her. Yuuki remained where she was for a moment… not daring to lift her head, not wanting to see the gruesome sight of the dead vampire lying only feet away from her, trying to reassure herself she was still alive and more or less still in one piece.

A hand on her shoulder shook her. "Yuuki!" said Zero urgently. "Are you OK?"

Yuuki shuddered then raised herself off the ground. She grasped Zero's fingers as he pulled her up. The body of the dead vampire crumbled to dust and she averted her eyes from the pile of rags and dust that had once been a living, breathing person… before he became a vampire. Shuddering again, Yuuki pushed the thought away, her mind shrinking away from what it meant to her… about Zero…

Zero ran his hands lightly down her arms. "Are you OK? Are you hurt anywhere?"

Yuuki shook her head. Her knees stung and her side ached but she was fine. "Let's go…"

Zero swept a glance along the street, knowing the gunshot would attract attention in less than a minute's time. He hurriedly picked up the packages and hustled Yuuki back down the alley, sensing there were no more creatures lurking there. They faster they got away from the scene, the better. As they neared the end of the alley, he remembered to fish in his jacket pocket for his sunglasses, slipping them on to mask the colour of his eyes.

- o -

On his way back from the bathroom, Zero noticed Yuuki's room light was still switched on. It was already three in the morning and she should've been asleep by then but somehow, he wasn't surprised. That was a rather nasty shock for anyone, to be attacked by a crazed vampire but for Yuuki whose first memories had been of a very similar sort, it would have to have been down right upsetting.

He tapped lightly on her door. "Yuuki? You still awake?"

A pause. Then he heard her soft voice. "Come in, Zero"

He opened the door. Yuuki was sitting on her bed, arms hugging her knees. There were faint purple shadows under her large brown eyes that still held a haunted look in their depths. Zero's heart constricted – he wanted to erase anything that would cause Yuuki to do anything other than smile, laugh or even look annoyed…

"Can't sleep, huh…" he said quietly, walking over to the bed and sitting down beside her. Yuuki nodded, shifting slightly towards the wall to make more room for him. She leaned against him as he placed his left arm around her shoulders. "It's OK, you're safe now" he said, adding "I won't let anything happen to you."

Yuuki sighed. "I know…" She reached up her right hand to thread her fingers through his as it lay on her shoulder. "But when he bared his fangs at me…" she broke off and shuddered at the memory of those blood red eyes, without a trace of lucidity left in them save madness, bluish lips that pulled back to reveal horrifyingly long and large fangs on which hung strings of saliva and the revolting smell of old blood and decay that clung to him. That look, although it only lasted a few seconds, seemed imprinted onto her memory and prevented her from finding restful sleep. It seemed that whenever she closed her eyes, there was that demented crazed face only inches away from her face, before Zero's voice rang out as he aimed and fired.

Yuuki pulled her hand back to turn and bury her face in Zero's chest, shuddering uncontrollably, her hands clutching at his pyjama shirt front. "I was so scared…" she whispered.

Zero wrapped both arms around her, holding her close. "Shhh, it's over now. Don't think anymore…" he soothed her, one hand rubbing her back comfortingly.

Yuuki was silent for a few minutes and Zero felt her warm tears soaking his shirt front then she spoke haltingly "All I could think of when I saw those fangs was how much it would hurt… when he bit me…" She broke off to huddle closer to Zero.

Zero froze. His mind registered only two words from the many that Yuuki had spoken – fangs… hurt… bit… The words echoed again and again in his mind and a knife of dread and guilt twisted in his gut.

Yuuki didn't realise the change in Zero at first. Only slowly, did she become aware that his body had grown tense. Moments later, those warm comforting arms that had enveloped her fell away as Zero stood up.

Bereft of his warmth, Yuuki lifted a tear-stained face to look up at him. "Zero….?" She was shocked to see the depth of pain in the tormented amethyst eyes that looked down at her. He was pressing the whitened knuckles of one fist against his teeth hard enough to draw blood.

"All this time… and you never once said a word…" he said in a low voice shaking with emotion. "Why, Yuuki?" As she continued to stare up at him, baffled, he added harshly "Was it because you pitied me?! Is that why you never told me…? Is it…?!" Unable to bear the suspense, he grasped her shoulders, his fingers bruising her skin as he shook her. Hard.

Yuuki gasped. Had Zero gone mad? What was he saying? She reached up to grab his wrists in her hands. "Zero, stop it! Stop it!"

Zero snatched his hands away, flinging Yuuki's hands off, panting, belatedly realising he was on the verge of hurting her - if he hadn't already…

"What was I suppose to tell you?" demanded Yuuki, more shaken than she cared to admit. She'd never seen Zero in this state before…

Zero's hands were clenched into tight fists at his side. "That it hurt… each time I drank your blood…" His voice was hoarse as he forced out the words from a throat tight with pain.

Yuuki gasped – had she said that? No, she hadn't… she hadn't!

"That you were afraid of that crazed Level E vampire… that is me, Yuuki! That is what I will become!" Zero couldn't have stopped the anguished cry even if he wanted to. This was one of his worst fears – that Yuuki feared his bloodlust, that he caused her pain each time he drank from her… and that she thought him a worthless mindless vampire, crazed with bloodlust and the urge to kill and devour… But how had she managed to hide this from him all this time? he wondered, sickened with disgust. How had she managed to convince him with her kind words and gentle hands that she didn't one bit… that she even… wanted… a little… the closeness that they shared each time after he drank from her?

Zero swung around, his back towards Yuuki and uttered a hopeless groan, pressing the palms of both hands against his closed eyes. Behind him, Yuuki also closed her eyes but fresh tears slipped down her cheeks all the same. She thought back to the words she'd said and realised now that Zero had mistakenly thought they applied to him as well. But they didn't. They never did. And she had to make him understand that…

Quietly, she stood up and took a step towards him. Even so, Zero tensed, aware of her presence right behind him. Yuuki wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek against his back.

"Zero?" Yuuki's voice shook despite her effort to speak steadily. He took a breath as if he meant to speak and Yuuki shook her head, saying "No, please listen to what I have to say…"

Zero removed his hands from his eyes. He nodded once.

Yuuki took a deep breath before she spoke. "When I said I was frightened of how it would hurt when he bit me… if… he bit me… I meant that vampire, Zero. The one you killed. Not you. Not _ever _you." Her words were fervently spoken.

She felt a shudder ripple through him and hugged him tighter. "Because… because his fangs were so long… so thick… and they – they – disgusted me…" An image of those fangs dripping saliva crossed her mind again and she shivered again.

Zero was silent for a moment then his arms lowered to his sides but he didn't attempt to touch her. He knew what she meant, he'd seen those fangs himself. They were more like the fangs you'd find in the mouth of a carnivore than a vampire. But still…

"I have fangs too, Yuuki…" he said quietly, despondently.

"No… well, yes… but… they're different, Zero! Yours _are _different…"

Zero shook his head. Different? They were all the same – just an efficient tool to puncture the skin of a victim and to draw blood… just a feature that marked him as a creature of the damned…

He felt her shaking her head against his back. It was as if she knew what words were going through his mind.

"No, Zero… yours aren't like his… yours aren't frightening…" Yuuki trailed off, blushing a little although she didn't know why, only that each word she said was true.

Slowly, Zero turned to face her and Yuuki's arms dropped to her sides. He looked into her tear-drenched eyes. "How are mine different from his, Yuuki?" he asked quietly, frowning a little.

Yuuki hunched a shoulder, heartened to see the anguished look in his eyes had faded somewhat. "Well, they're not that… long… I guess…" she said vaguely. She reluctantly pictured again the wild snarling mouth awash in blood, with Zero's own mouth when he'd drawn back his lips and about to sink his fangs into her wrist – the difference _was _there; she just couldn't think of the right word to use.

Zero was still looking at her as if wondering if she'd hit her head earlier and Yuuki huffed, a little frustrated. "Yours are – are – I guess the right word would be – er, 'refined'…" she trailed off, wondering where on earth that word had come from.

Zero's mouth actually fell open as he stared at Yuuki, seemingly speechless for a long moment. Then – "Refined? _Refined?_" he repeated incredulously, disbelief written all over his face.

"Uh… yeah…" muttered Yuuki, flushing. God, how pathetic… couldn't she have come up with a better word? But honestly, school syllabus – the one she was used to, anyway - had not prepared her to "Please List Suitable Adjectives to Describe the Physical Appearance of the Elongated Canines Commonly Found in the Mouths of Two-legged Nocturnal Blood-sucking Creatures Also Known As Vampires"…

Yuuki closed her eyes for a moment, cursing under her breath. She was trying her best to make Zero feel better about this but obviously, she'd failed miserably.

"Refined…" repeated Zero and his voice sounded choked.

Yuuki opened her eyes to glare at him – _must _he repeat that damned word so many times? Only to stare at the grin that was slowly spreading over Zero's face. She blinked at him. And gaped when he started chuckling. A second later, it had turned to helpless laughter, Yuuki's look of bewilderment and somewhat righteous indignation making him laugh even harder. He shouldn't laugh, he didn't even know why her did – he'd been in so much anguish seconds earlier over the thought that Yuuki had actually hated and dreaded the times he'd drunk from her… but when she'd suddenly tossed in such an absurd word into the whole confusing mix…

It took a couple of minutes before Zero finally calmed down enough to speak. Yuuki still had a small frown on her face and a wary suspicious look in her eyes but she was smiling rather bemusedly all the same, wondering when she'd suddenly developed a gift for making Zero crack up… first, at the recent dance, then now…

"I suppose – I suppose I should be properly dressed in a dinner jacket with a linen napkin on my lap before partaking of your blood in future?" he said, deadpan, when he had finally sobered up.

Yuuki gasped at this, then broke into a rather watery giggle. "Well, your fangs are refined" she muttered somewhat crossly, in a so-there sort of tone. "Or would you rather I use the word 'delicate'?" she shot back at him.

Zero grimaced and shook his head. "Refined is good" he said, lips twitching a little as he tried to remain serious.

Yuuki smiled back at him. "I'm not frightened of you, Zero. Truly." she said softly but sincerely. He closed his eyes, finally believing the words to be true. "Yuuki…" he said as he opened his eyes again and there was a world of tenderness in that one word that made her eyes overflow again.

A moment later, the haunted look was back. "But - it does hurt… whenever I take your blood… doesn't it?" he asked, rather wretchedly. Of course it hurt, idiot… he berated himself. He was piercing her sensitive soft skin each time, hard enough to make her blood well up, of course it hurt! What did he expect, to have Yuuki's nerves short-circuit for a few seconds each time his fangs touched her skin?!

Yuuki was looking at the myriad of emotions flickering in Zero's eyes. It was no point saying no, it didn't hurt - that would've been an outright lie and they both knew it. But she had to make him see that the slight sting she felt was nothing – no, less than nothing compared to the other things she felt…

"Yes, it does hurt… when you bite me, Zero" she said evenly, her heart constricting as Zero blanched, even though he'd been mentally prepared for the words.

"But do you know where it hurts?" she asked softly, holding his gaze with her own that always seemed to see right down into his very soul and know what he was thinking.

Zero swallowed. "Your neck?" he guessed, guilt lacing his words.

Yuuki shook her head. Slowly.

"Erm… your wrist?"

Again, Yuuki shook her head.

A puzzled frown appeared between Zero's eyebrows – had he bitten her anywhere else? Well, yeah - probably in his fevered dreams… but not actually…

"Here, Zero. It hurts me here" and Yuuki placed a hand over her heart and saw his eyes widen in response.

"Your fangs… they're just like an ant bite… or the prick of a needle… it doesn't hurt, not really… But because I know you don't want to drink my blood… and you don't want to hurt me… that's why it hurts here, Zero" Yuuki's voice quivered despite her efforts to steady it and she had to take a shaky breath before she continued.

"But the actual blood drinking doesn't hurt… it never did" she said softly, the gentleness in her eyes compelling Zero to stare at her and believe in her words. "It's more than just… just helping you, you know…" she continued, her voice hardly above a whisper. "It's having you hold me…" she couldn't continue and had to pause to swallow the lump in her throat.

Zero's throat worked as he swallowed hard in return. Despite his steadying breath, his eyes misted with shameful tears that he tried to blink away.

"Oh, Zero" murmured Yuuki, her own eyes spilling over with more tears. "Never think that you hurt me when you drink my blood. Never…"

Zero uttered a strangled sob then he pulled her into his arms, shuddering as he held her close to his wildly beating heart. "Yuuki" he breathed. "I – I – " he broke off, words failing him.

Yuuki listened to his heartbeat for a moment before she said softly "It doesn't hurt because I want you to drink my blood, Zero… and you always… always…" she faltered as she thought of a word to encompass the appreciative way Zero made her feel like her gift was something precious to him – from the way he tenderly licked her neck before and after he pierced her skin, to the way he whispered 'thank you', to the way he held her after that…

"… you always act like you care… about me…" she whispered before hiding her flushed face in his chest.

Zero swallowed again before he trusted himself enough to speak without breaking down completely. "I do…" he said, even though it was rather the understatement of the century.

They sat in silence for a while as Yuuki listened to his heartbeat slowing down to its usual steady rate. She yawned and rubbed her face against his rather damp shirt, causing Zero to groan silently. "Hey, Yuuki? Think you can sleep now?" he asked, pulling back slightly to look at her.

Yuuki yawned again but still looked rather apprehensive. "What if… I have nightmares?" she murmured, staring fixedly at the top button on Zero's pyjama shirt.

"Hey, if you're scared to sleep alone, all you have to do is ask…" teased Zero softly, even though he knew it would give him more pleasure to sleep beside her, than it would Yuuki. At least, he thought so.

She peeped up at him. "You don't mind?"

Zero rolled his eyes. Mind…? Mind?! "Well, I guess not…" he replied as nonchalantly as he could. Why in heaven's name would he mind…?!

Yuuki ran her fingers over her face, wiping off any remaining tears that hadn't managed to find their way onto Zero's shirt. "Your shirt's wet again…" she murmured apologetically, reaching out a hand to finger the damp material. Zero hoped she hadn't noticed that simple gesture had caused his heartbeat to start speeding up.

"Should I remove my shirt then?" he asked with a completely serious face.

"No!"

Then, afraid he would catch a chill or fever, Yuuki relented. "Well, if you don't want to fall sick…" she hedged. Zero's lips twisted - there was no chance he would fall sick with just a small damp patch on his shirt but it was rather too good an opportunity to miss…

"I'll get the light" Zero offered and walked back to the door where the light switch was located, unbuttoning his shirt as he went. As the room plunged into darkness, illuminated only with the light streaming in the windows courtesy of streetlamp outside, he slid the deadbolt home and walked back to the bed, slipping off his shirt and dropping it on Yuuki's desk. As expected, Yuuki had turned around and was studiously looking at the wall the bed stood against, stiffening slightly as she felt Zero's weight shift her mattress.

"Relax, Yuuki…" Zero's voice held a hint of laughter as he pulled Yuuki's rather stiff back against his chest and lay down, supporting her weight. She didn't say anything at first as she shifted slightly down to pillow her head against his left shoulder and snuggled a little closer.

Then "Goodnight, Zero" she said rather primly but rather spoiled the effect when she pulled his right arm across her stomach and laced the fingers of her right hand with his. She snuggled just a little closer to his chest, relishing the warmth of his bare chest against her back. Cautiously, Zero shifted his hips slightly apart from hers – he didn't think a repeat of what happened at the dance last time was a good idea at this very moment…

"Goodnight, Yuuki" he murmured, bending his head to drop a kiss onto her hair. "Sleep tight…"

Yuuki yawned again and this time, she fell into a dreamless sleep, held closely against Zero's warmth.

-- To Be Continued --


	18. Chap 07: Different Kind of Hurt Part 2

**Author Notes: **Well, this is Part 2 and Happy Valentine's Day to all – it's the main reason why I'm posting it today instead of tomorrow. Cheers.

-- Continued --

The next morning, both Zero and Yuuki overslept, worn out with their adventure and subsequent emotional outburst.

Zero awoke first, opening his eyes and glancing around him. He frowned a little at the surroundings which, while very familiar, was clearly not his room. Surrounded by Yuuki's soft sweet scent, he recalled a second later where he was – in Yuuki's bed with his left arm wrapped around her shoulders as he cradled her against him, her cheek resting against his bare chest. He could feel her soft regular breathing against his skin and knew she was still fast asleep. Their legs had somehow gotten rather tangled up with her blanket as well as with each other.

Zero yawned, wanting to stretch but at the same time loathe to wake Yuuki. He arched his head back to glance at the clock on Yuuki's nightstand beside her bed – _shit!_ It was already half past eight? Classes started at nine, they were cutting it rather close… He was surprised that the Chairman hadn't knocked on her door yet…

As if on cue, his ears caught the sound of familiar, slightly shuffling footsteps outside the door and he froze. Moments later, there was a knock on the door and he heard the Chairman's voice "Yuuki? Are you still sleeping? You're going to be late for class…"

Zero slid his left arm off Yuuki and levered himself up onto his left elbow, causing Yuuki's head to slide down and rest against his forearm. She stirred and opened sleepy eyes. "What…" she mumbled before her eyes snapped fully open, focusing on a bare chested Zero braced on one elbow, looking down at her with a small and very, very tender smile on his lips, long silvery strands half obscuring his amethyst eyes.

It was a rather nice picture to wake up to, and an enchanting blush started creeping up her cheeks as Yuuki stared up at him. "Zero? What are you doing in my bed?" she whispered. A second later, she closed her eyes, sighed and mumbled "Never mind, I remember now…"

Sighing, Yuuki opened her eyes again and reached up to place her hands on his shoulders, preparing to push him off so that she could get up. Her fingers curled onto warm supple skin covering lithe shoulder muscles as Zero gave a slight shake of his head, pressed a finger to his lips and nodded at her room door.

The doorknob rattled and the Chairman's voice sounded again. "Yuuki? Get up, today is Monday you know…" The affectionate voice was slightly laced with exasperation now and Yuuki gasped in shock, fingernails digging unconsciously into Zero's shoulders. Her wide eyes locked onto his. Zero raised his eyebrows without saying anything.

Yuuki glanced back at the door. "Yeah, I – I overslept…" she called out. "I'll be ready in five minutes…" Zero pulled them both to a sitting position, her hands still on his shoulders.

"You really should go to sleep earlier, you know…" came the slightly reprimanding tones of her adopted father from outside the door and Yuuki shot a rather guilty look at Zero as the sound of footsteps died away. Unfortunately, he looked annoyingly unrepentant and Yuuki huffed, letting her hands slide slowly off his shoulders before remembering his shirtless state and snatching them back instead.

"So… did you have a restful night?" asked Zero softly, roundly ignoring the clock and enjoying the soft bloom of colour on Yuuki's cheeks as she stared down at her blanket with rapt attention.

Finally, Yuuki peeped up at him. "You know I did…" she said just as softly. Then, shoving at him, she added "OK, get out of here, Zero, I need to change…" Zero took a couple of seconds to untangle his long legs from her blanket before standing up. Linking his fingers together, he stretched both arms straight above his head, yawning.

Yuuki found herself staring at the play of muscles across his broad shoulders before she caught herself and glanced away. A glimpse of her clock had her swiftly unbuttoning her pyjama shirt as she leapt out of bed, almost tripping herself up on her blanket. Hurrying to the clothes cupboard that stood adjacent to her bed, she wrenched open the door. Pulling out fresh underwear from the top drawer, she shrugged off her shirt at the same time – her shower would have to wait until this evening.

A muttered curse sounded at the door and she gasped, clutching the shirt to her chest – she thought Zero had left her room by now.

In the long mirror attached to the inside of the cupboard door she'd swung open, Yuuki saw Zero striding back towards her, jaw clenched, eyes staring intently at the back of her bare shoulders. Yuuki frowned as he neared her, still staring at her shoulders, then she twisted a little from side to side, checking her own reflection in the mirror before her.

Twin rows of small round bruises stood out on her creamy pale shoulders and her heart sank – they'd been caused by Zero last night when he'd unconsciously gripped her shoulders hard, haunted by the thought she'd been suffering in silence each time he pierced her with his fangs.

She didn't have to look into the amethyst eyes to see the self-disgust coursing through him now. His warm hands came down on her shoulders again - gently this time, and she could feel them trembling slightly on her.

Yuuki met his tormented gaze as he looked into her eyes through the mirror. "They'll fade, Zero" she said softly. "Please don't think…"

She broke off as Zero shook his head and swallowed. "Don't make me feel any worse than I already do…" he whispered. He started to say more, then stopped himself - what else was there to say that hadn't already been said before?

Glancing down again at the bruises that marred the creamy soft perfection of her shoulders, Zero dipped his head and kissed each offending mark tenderly, running his tongue gently over the area at the same time. Yuuki blinked away sudden tears as she continued looking at the mirror, watching the silver head bent over her shoulder, his warm hands sliding down to hold her upper arms lightly. His warm lips were making her shiver again and she bit her lower lip in an attempt to stop its quivering.

When Zero had finished kissing each bruise, he straightened up and met her eyes again through the mirror. His gaze involuntarily slid down to her full lower lip still being held by small white teeth and his own lips parted for a moment before he wrenched his gaze back up to meet hers.

Both sets of eyes blinked and widened as they realised the same thing at the same time – the mirror was reflecting twin pairs of bare shoulders even though she was still clutching the shirt to her chest. Her breathing quickened in unison with his.

After a moment, Yuuki glanced away from the rather disturbing sight in the mirror, a guilty flush staining her cheeks. They were both half naked, they were going to be late for class – there were a million other reasons why they shouldn't be standing here like this but she couldn't seem to move away. She could feel the smooth warmth of Zero's chest against her back and inexplicably, she wanted to lean back against that warmth instead of chasing him out of her room like she knew she ought to…

"Yuuki…" murmured Zero. He had bent his head again and was now licking the base of her throat where her pulse beat madly. Yuuki felt his fangs graze her neck. "Zero… now?" she whispered.

Turning her head to the left, she saw through his parted lips that his fangs had lengthened – for some reason, the word _'refined'_ echoed again through her mind - and his eyes were starting to glow red. "Now…" she answered herself somewhat resignedly, already thinking ahead of how to keep the Day Class girls away from the Night Class students that evening if they both got detention.

Zero was dropping kisses on her delicate collarbone now – it brought Yuuki back to the present with a jerk. "May I?" he murmured against her skin.

"Yes, of course, but - uh… shouldn't we first sit…" She broke off as his strong arms snaked around her waist and hauled her back against his chest as one lean cheek nudged her head to the side.

Yuuki glanced hesitantly into the mirror and saw their reflection again – a petite girl with large brown eyes still wet with tears and a rather bemused expression stared back at her as she clutched at the pyjama shirt across her chest… a much taller boy with bare chest stood very close behind her, his face buried in the crook of her neck, his arms around her slender waist. His lips pulled back and she caught another glimpse of his fangs before he sank them into the soft skin at the base of her neck. Automatically, her neck muscles tensed for a second before she relaxed.

Fascinated despite herself, she stared at the mesmerising reflection in front of her – well, at least she finally got to see what it looked like, Zero drinking from her neck…

Her right hand shifted to hold her pyjama shirt in place as she reached up with her left hand to hold Zero's head close to her, letting her fingers sift through the silky strands at the back of his neck. Leaning back, she let him support her weight, still blushing at the rather erotic sight reflected back at her. She tilted her head a little more to the right, granting Zero unconditional access to her sweet, life giving blood and he groaned in response, his arms tightening almost painfully around her waist as he let the precious red liquid wash through his mouth and down his throat, releasing him from the painful tightening sensation in his chest and the stabbing pain in his veins. Yuuki shivered as his mouth caressed her skin as he sucked and drank.

Long moments later, a trickle of blood escaped his lips and dripped down towards her breasts. Yuuki glanced wildly around – she had a box of tissues on her nightstand and another one on her desk, but neither were within reach at this moment.

"Uh… Zero…?" she said, releasing his head to try to stem the trickle before it could reach her top and stain it, at the same time letting her shirt drop a little lower to avoid the drip.

Zero pulled his lips away from her neck. He glanced into the mirror and saw the trickle of blood. "I'll get it" he said, his voice raw. Releasing her waist, he swung her around to face him, rested his hands on her bare shoulders and bent his head, lapping up the small trail of blood from the top of her left breast all the way up to its source at the base of her neck. Yuuki shivered, eyes fluttering shut – the feel of Zero's warm tongue as he swept it up her skin… aaah... that was… that felt…

Zero drank a little more before he stopped and licked gently at the wounds he'd made to stop the bleeding. After a few moments, Yuuki opened her eyes to see him looking intently at her, licking his lips clean at the same time. "Did you like that?" he asked huskily. Yuuki blinked, did she like him drinking her blood? Well, she didn't really mind but – or did he actually mean whether she liked him dragging his tongue all over her -

"No, I did _not_!" she hissed back at him, clutching the dangerously slipping top more firmly against her chest and taking a step back. "If you've _quite _finished, why don't you go to your room, I need to change. Now!"

Zero's lips twitched a little. "Aren't you forgetting something?" he asked.

"What?"

The dimple in Zero's cheek appeared briefly. "This."

He pulled her towards him and closed both arms around her. Yuuki hesitated for a moment then gave in, wrapping her own arms around him, turning her face into his chest and breathing in his familiar scent, smiling a little.

A minute passed.

"Yuuki?"

"Mmm?"

"Thank you."

"Anytime, Zero…"

A knock on the door sounded again and Zero cursed under his breath – Yuuki was much too distracting for him to notice anything else. She gasped and pulled back guiltily. Her pyjama shirt dropped to the floor as their bodies parted and Yuuki stared - mouth open in horrified shock - at Zero who was quite simply frozen in place, eyes glued to her enchanting figure again.

"Yuuki! Still not ready yet…?"

Yuuki muttered a fervent curse, bending down to swipe the fallen top off the floor. She clutched it to her chest again, cheeks on fire…

"Sorry, Father… be right there, I – I promise!" There – she'd called him 'Father' again, she really wasn't thinking straight this morning!

They both heard the Chairman grumbling good naturedly as his footsteps disappeared back down the corridor towards the kitchen. Yuuki swung back to Zero, her eyes narrowing at his unrepentant grin. She pushed at his chest hard with one hand, the other clutching at her shirt in a death grip, lest it should fail to shield her again.

"Get OUT, Zero!"

"OK…OK…" Zero sauntered towards the door, snagging his own pyjama shirt from her desk on the way. After unlocking the door and opening it an inch to check that the coast was clear, he flung a "See you in two minutes…" over his shoulder and slipped out, closing the door behind him.

Yuuki exhaled and turned back to the cupboard, steadfastly ignoring her red-cheeked reflection in the mirror as she hurriedly changed into her school uniform before rummaging for a band-aid to cover the twin punctures at her neck.

When she entered the kitchen three minutes later, Zero was already sitting at the table, sipping his coffee with admirable nonchalance. As the Chairman shooed Yuuki into her seat, Zero murmured "'Morning, Yuuki…"

Yuuki sniffed disdainfully and turned her back on Zero, ignoring him as she chatted with her adopted father instead, downing her breakfast with admirable speed at the same time. The Chairman's eyebrows shot up as he witnessed Yuuki's cool response towards Zero but he didn't get a chance to say anything; Yuuki's skill for eating and talking simultaneously – something that never ceased to amaze both him and Zero – had distracted him and he told her to slow down before she choked on her food.

Zero finished eating first and waited for Yuuki before they both rushed off, making it to class in record time and joining the last few students walking into the classroom. He tried to catch Yuuki's eye as they joined the group of laughing and jostling students but she had engaged Yori in a whispered conversation that showed she was still not speaking to him. Reluctantly, Zero moved to his usual seat in the row behind Yuuki's and forced himself to concentrate as the lesson started.

Both Zero and Yuuki didn't fall asleep this time as they'd had enough rest the night before, and the morning dragged on slowly and interminably. Zero was feeling a little miserable at being ignored by Yuuki and suffering a couple of rather curious glances from Yori, while Yuuki was feeling a little guilty at ignoring Zero and suffering the extremely pointed stare he directed at the back of her head all morning whenever the teacher wasn't looking in his direction.

It seemed ages before the school bell finally rang, signaling the start of lunch hour. After the students had bowed and thanked the teacher, chatter and noise broke out as they kept their books and started streaming out of the classroom, gravitating either to the washrooms or the school canteen.

Zero waited until Yuuki had walked to the back of the throng of laughing and jostling students at the classroom doors before joining her. Unobtrusively, he reached for her small hand and squeezed it briefly as he looked down at her. Yuuki half pulled back her hand, then hesitated for a moment before turning to glance up at him.

A casual observer wouldn't have noticed any difference in Zero's expressionless face but Yuuki caught the tentative smile in his amethyst eyes and she relented and smiled back at him. The dimple in Zero's cheek appeared briefly and he gave her fingers another quick squeeze before releasing her hand, relieved that Yuuki was no longer annoyed with him.

-- Chapter End --


	19. Chap 08: It's How I See You

**Author Notes: **I think I need a break from all the drama, angst and blood from the last chapter _-giggle-_ Well, the blood part at least… So this chapter is deliberately kept light, fluffy and blood-free. Oops, accidentally added a small sprinkling of angst…

-- Chapter Start --

"Yuuki!"

The bedroom door opened a moment later and an auburn haired girl stood there, large chocolate eyes enquiring. She held a large sketch pad in one hand and a pencil case in the other.

"Ah, there you are! Can you help me with dinner? I just thought of a new recipe I'd like to try out…" beamed Chairman Cross, his arms laden with shopping bags. The slightly dishevelled appearance of his gray streaked brown ponytail was testament to the brisk wind outside.

The expressive brown eyes registered a flash of disappointment before Yuuki smiled. "Of course..." The older man looked down at the sketch pad and relented. "OK, I need to marinate the meat first anyway. You can have an hour to do your sketching first…"

Yuuki beamed and whooped for joy, throwing her arms exuberantly around her adopted father and causing him to drop a bag in the process. "Hey, that's enough…" said the Chairman, chuckling and protesting half-heartedly.

Before he could say anything else, Yuuki had bent down, scooped up the fallen bag and hooked it onto one of his fingers before flying down the corridor and across the living room. Pushing up his glasses again, the Chairman smiled resignedly, shuffled back down the corridor and turned into the kitchen to start preparations for dinner.

Yuuki collapsed onto the grass, letting the sketch pad and pencil case drop beside her. She was rather out of breath after running all the way from the main building, across the pathways and up the small hill where a large shady tree overlooked a good sized lake. It was Zero's favourite spot but he was nowhere to be found right now. She suspected he was still at the stables, giving the bad tempered mare, White Lily, a good rubdown after his ride.

Yuuki bit into the juicy apple in her hand; she'd snagged it from the kitchen on her way out. Now, she moved to lean back against the trunk of the tree, opened her sketch pad to a blank page, and propped the pad before her, using her jeans-clad legs as a makeshift easel. Taking another bite of her apple and swiping a drop of juice off her chin with a finger, she surveyed the scenery in front of her.

After a moment, Yuuki dug out one of her charcoal pencils – she'd gotten a rather nice set as a past birthday present from Zero – then glanced at her wristwatch. She had about fifty minutes to indulge in her hobby without sacrificing precious sleep for once, and her lips curved in smile of pure delight.

The pencil started flying across the page as a scene of the lake with the mountains in the distance stated taking shape on the blank paper. Only the distant birdsong and the muted scratch of her pencil broke the silence, interspersed with juicy bites of the apple held in her left hand

Her right arm kept the wind from flipping the page she was working on but it teased the left side of the paper instead. Impatiently, Yuuki brought up her knees a little more, but the paper still fluttered under her hand. Finally, she used her left elbow to keep the paper down, causing the apple in her hand to hover beside her left ear.

Yuuki didn't hear the soft, almost inaudible footsteps of someone coming up the hill or even that someone dropping to their knees behind her until a long fingered hand closed around the fingers of her left hand. Even white teeth took a huge bite out of her apple before her hand was released. Yuuki started, almost dropping the fruit in her surprise. She stared at what was left of her large Fuji apple, a large chunk of its sweet crunchy flesh missing.

Indignantly, Yuuki swung her head to the left, almost earning herself a crick in the neck in the process, shiny auburn hair swinging around her shoulders. "Zero…! Go get your own apple - this is mine!"

Zero chewed and swallowed. "Yumm, sweet…" He settled down on the grass beside Yuuki, eyeing the apple in her hand again. Her soft sweet scent drifted to him and he sniffed appreciatively as he lounged there contentedly.

"I'm hungry and it's not dinner time yet…" Zero wiped the sweat off his forehead with his sleeve before glancing hopefully at the Yuuki's apple again.

"Huh-uh" Yuuki held the apple straight out in front of her, ignoring the wild flapping of the paper as it was released from her elbow.

Zero made a sudden grab for her hand and Yuuki jerked forward, squealing. She swung her left hand to the right, keeping her precious apple away from him. Undeterred, Zero simply grabbed her left arm in his right hand and started pulling it back towards her, exerting only enough pressure to pull her arm without hurting her. Yuuki shrieked, elbowing him wildly with her left elbow.

"No, it's mine, Zero. Stop it!" she gasped out, elbowing him again and giggling helplessly at the same time. In a couple of seconds, he had seized her wrist and was bending forwards again. A very audible crunch sounded before her wrist was released and she inhaled indignantly, seeing another huge bite taken out of her apple.

Turning, she glared straight into amused amethyst eyes as Zero continued to chew and swallow. Yuuki pursed her lips at him. "Go… get… your… own." she said, pronouncing each word with care. Keeping her gaze on him, Yuuki bit into the apple, noticing distractedly that her own bite was woefully small compared to his.

Zero smirked before he settled down more comfortably on the grass beside her, bending his left leg and resting his left arm casually on his knee. He was disinclined to go into the kitchen at the moment as he had spied the Chairman coming back earlier from his shopping trip. "Are you done?" he asked, nodding at her sketchpad.

"Almost…" Yuuki said absently as she pencilled in a few more strokes to form the mountains. She eyed her drawing critically. "Well…" she said. It was OK she supposed. She glanced up at Zero.

"Are you done with your chores?" she asked in return. She could smell sweat on him, both his and White Lily's and she breathed it in, loving the scent… the sheer familiarity of it. Of the comforting feelings it surfaced in her.

Biting thoughtfully into her apple, oblivious of a captivated Zero staring at her small white teeth, Yuuki glanced at his left hand. A vague memory stirred in her mind - hadn't she promised herself she would sketch those beautiful hands one day? No time like the present, right? Quickly, she glanced at her watch – there was still slightly less than half an hour to go…

Suddenly losing interest in the half eaten fruit she'd been jealously guarding a minute ago, Yuuki took a final bite before tossing what was left of it to Zero. "Here…" Deftly, he caught it in his right hand as she'd known he would. Shifting to her left to face him, she cautioned, "Don't move" as she flipped to the next blank page in her sketchpad.

Zero paused just as he was about to bite into the apple. "Why?" he asked suspiciously.

Yuuki glanced up at him. "You can eat, I just want your left arm and leg…"

Finally realising what Yuuki intended to do, Zero shifted as if about to get up and Yuuki fixed him with a glare. "No – don't move, Zero!" He raised an eyebrow. "Please?" she wheedled with smile.

It was irresistible to Zero and he relented, remaining where he was as he finished the apple quickly and dropped the core beside her pencil case. He watched her as she caught her lower lip between her teeth again and her pencil flew rapidly over the paper, her eyes flicking up and down from his left hand back to her paper.

A small frown appeared between the delicate eyebrows as Yuuki became absorbed in the sketch – fingers were after all, not the easiest thing in the world to draw - and Zero took the opportunity to observe her quietly. Did she know how beautiful she was? he wondered. Did she have any idea how soft her shiny hair looked, teased by the wind, making him long to finger the silky strands? Did she realise that her small frown always made him want to touch his lips to the delicate crease to smooth it out? Was she aware of how much he ached to kiss those pink lips whenever she caught at her lower lip like that? Did she know how he longed to taste again each of those slender fingers now gripping one of the charcoal pencils he'd bought for her?

Swallowing, he glanced away. No, Yuuki wasn't aware of any of these things… she never would… not unless he told her. And he couldn't never tell her that, because he knew how she felt about him…

Completely oblivious to Zero's inner dilemma, Yuuki hummed softly to herself as her pencil glided over the paper. A soft smile formed on her lips – she'd managed to sketch his hand much better than the lake just now…

"OK – done!" she exclaimed happily. Dropping her pencil onto the grass, she turned the sketchpad to face Zero. "Well, what do you think?" she asked.

Zero blinked and glanced at the sketchpad. His eyebrows rose as he saw a disconnected arm and hand resting on a jean-clad knee. It was obviously his hand and knee, recognising the wristwatch she'd added.

"Hey… pretty good" he commented. He glanced up at her and offered her one of his rare small smiles. Yuuki saw no reason for such conservativeness now when there was no one around and she stared at him suspiciously. "Smile like you mean it, Zero…"

His smile widened and Yuuki smiled back when she saw his dimple appear. "Much better" she said approvingly. She glanced at her watch – ten minutes… what else could she sketch? Her eyes trailed to Zero's face again but she knew he would never willingly sit for her… she had to use her own memory for that…

Zero caught Yuuki's left hand in his own. "Sketch both our hands" he suggested in what he hoped was a casual tone.

Yuuki's eyebrows shot up as she looked at him. Then she glanced at their clasped hands. Well… it could be interesting… two different sets of fingers…

"OK" she agreed. She'd only used half a page to sketch Zero's hand and she took up her pencil again.

"Wait, Yuuki…" Zero placed his left hand palm down on top of hers, interlacing his warm fingers with her slender ones. "OK, go…"

Yuuki gave him a brief smile before her pencil started flying across the paper again. Zero bent forward slightly, seeing an image of their clasped hands swiftly taking shape on the paper. He really shouldn't, but…

Yuuki's pencil slipped as Zero's left thumb moved below, caressing the centre of her sensitive palm. She gasped. "Hey, don't do that…" Vexed, she glared at him for a moment before she dug in her pencil case for her eraser.

"Sorry" murmured Zero, keeping his lips schooled. He waited until Yuuki had started sketching again for about half a minute before he ran his thumb down the outer side of her thumb, all the way from the tip down to her wrist, as far as he could reach. Yuuki's pencil jerked and she muttered a curse under her breath before glaring at him again. "Zero! You _know _I can't draw properly when you do that!" Huffing, she reached for her eraser again.

"I do?" murmured Zero, unable to stop a rather wicked grin this time. "Your hands are really sensitive, huh…"

Yuuki glared at him again. Suddenly, an image of Zero, sitting on her bed and licking her fingers after he drank her blood on the morning of the past dance came to mind and she started blushing. Quickly, she glanced down at the paper then peeped up at Zero. He was looking at her intently and she knew. She knew that he knew what she was thinking. And she knew that he knew that she knew what _he _was thinking…

Flustered, she pulled her hand back but he resisted. "Time's up, Zero, I have to go help Fa – umm… him…" Again. _Shit.._. A soft chuckle sounded and Yuuki bit her lip. She knew Zero was fully aware that she only ever called their adopted father as such when she was flustered about something. To top it off, Chairman Cross wasn't even _here_…

"Want another go?" asked Zero, raising an eyebrow at her, his lips twitching as he tried hard to keep from grinning. Yuuki was just too easy to read… but he couldn't deny he wanted to taste her fingers again…

Yuuki tried pulling her hand back again. "No! Let go, Zero!"

"In a minute…"

Yuuki stopped tugging. "Why?" she demanded.

"Because."

"Because? Because of what?" Yuuki stared as Zero turned her captured hand upwards and pressed his lips to her soft palm before his tongue took over. She forgot what she wanted to say, where she was supposed to go, what she was supposed to do… Zero closed his eyes, letting his senses fill with Yuuki – her smell, her touch, her taste, her slightly hitching breath…

He stopped a long moment later and opened his eyes. Yuuki was looking at him, her eyes huge, her lips parted. Zero wasn't even aware of the low growl he's uttered deep in his throat as he bent closer to her. Yuuki stopped breathing completely – Zero looked as if he wanted to kiss her… and she… she… A part of her wanted to stop him… a part of her wanted the kiss.

Zero stopped short when he saw the conflicting emotions in Yuuki's eyes and the overriding confusion. He muttered a fervent curse as he pulled back and released her hand.

There was a moment of awkward silence as they both glanced away. Then Zero looked back at Yuuki, gravely. "You'd better go, otherwise your dear Father will come looking for you…"

Yuuki hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah…" Her gaze dropped to her sketchpad.

"I'll take your things to your room" he offered.

"OK" said Yuuki in a rather small voice as she got up and brushed off her jeans. Zero stood up as well and stretched. "I have to shower anyway, I stink…" He bent down to pick up her things and the apple core. The Chairman was a stickler for cleanliness and he had drilled his thoughts on littering into both Yuuki and Zero as well as all the other teachers, staff and students of Cross Academy.

"No, you don't" muttered Yuuki before she could stop herself. Zero straightened up. "I don't what?" he asked absently. Yuuki didn't look at him. "You don't stink, Zero, and you know it" she mumbled.

Zero couldn't stop the rather pleased smile that she thought so even though it wasn't the first time she'd said it.

"Prove it."

"Huh?"

Zero dropped the things he was carrying and pulled Yuuki into a sudden hug, her back against his rather damp T-shirt, making Yuuki squeal again. "Kyaaaaa! Let me go, you're all sweaty…!" Zero tightened his arms around her and chuckled, his lips next to her ear. "I thought you didn't mind...?" he murmured.

Yuuki struggled to free herself. "I don't but I didn't say you could hug me as and when you like!" she scolded crossly. Zero held her close for a moment longer before he released her.

Yuuki tossed her head as she started down the hill, refusing to look at him.

"You smell good, Yuuki."

He watched her pause for a moment, irresolute, then she tossed her head again and continued down without looking back at him. Zero thought he heard muttering and grinned to himself. Picking up the fallen things, he strolled after her but let her hurry on ahead.

In Yuuki's room, Zero tossed the pencil case and sketchpad onto her desk. There was a folder with comb binding on her desk, with the pages flipped open and Zero saw a sketch.

His curiosity aroused, Zero sat down at her desk and started flipping through the thick folder. It was half filled and Zero suspected this was where Yuuki kept the completed sketches that she wanted to keep. There were many images of Kuran Kaname – front profile, side profile and even one full length, dressed in the Night Class school uniform – she'd shaded in the shirt and left the coat white.

Zero's lips tightened as his blood surged angrily even thought it was only to be expected; Yuuki had been infatuated with the handsome and charismatic Dorm Leader since… well, since her earliest memories. And even Zero had to admit he'd been unfailingly kind and gentle with her – on the surface at least - evident by each of the charcoal renderings of the pureblood that held an expression of infinite tenderness with a gentle smile – it was simply how Yuuki saw the pureblood.

He flipped quickly, not wanting to see the deep affection Yuuki had obviously put into each one. Then he found one sketch that showed Kuran in profile. There was something in the graceful lines of the pureblood that he couldn't quite place at first. Then he realised it was… loneliness. He stared at the drawing. There was once or twice he'd sensed it as well… the times he'd seen the pureblood looking at Yuuki when she wasn't aware of his scrutiny, even though Kuran knew he had her practically eating out of his hand. Yuuki could be very perceptive in some ways, despite that bubbly personality of hers…

There was even one that depicted the pureblood leader in a white well-cut tuxedo and Zero knew when it had been sketched – recently… He didn't need to see the recent date scrawled at the bottom of the paper or the faint images of dancing couples in the background to realise what the occasion had been. Scowling, Zero turned the page quickly. He completely forgot the fact he was in Yuuki's room, rifling through what was obviously her 'private' collection…

Zero continued flipping the pages – sketches of the Chairman, Yori… they more than adequately reflected their models and Yuuki had deliberately or accidentally let her deep affection for these subjects show in the drawings – Yori certainly looked more attractive than he recalled and although the sketches of the Chairman showed his rather absent-minded air (which actually covered an astute brain), they also conveyed the twinkle in his eyes.

It was only when Zero had flipped to the end of the folder did he realise what he was unconsciously looking for. But now he knew - there were no drawings of him. None. He stopped, finger hovering uncertainly over the last page, feeling a stab of hurt in his chest. Surely he was important enough in Yuuki's life to warrant at least one sketch…? Wasn't he? But apparently, he wasn't.

Despondently, he closed the folder and glanced at the stack of folders Yuuki had lined up on the top shelf of her desk. There was a similar one labelled "Z.K." - could it be? Heartbeat increasing for no reason, he reached for it with slightly trembling fingers.

Yes, there were sketches of him. Not one… not two… but a _whole folder _of them… dating from at least three years ago… even before he'd known of her hobby and gifted her the drawing set. A faint, wondering smile touched Zero's lips as he flipped through the pages, it was like going back in time… seeing the him of four years ago – the deep frown on the young face, glaring straight back at him, his hair had been shorter than… his expression fiercely guarded and defensive, face slightly more rounded…

Once again, he was conscious of how Yuuki's eyes could always see past his cool façade to how he really felt. She may have made his face expressionless but his eyes… they were full of torment, pain and grief… Even then, she'd seen… even then, she'd known… perhaps not the actual reason, but somehow… she'd known.

Unable to stop, Zero continued looking through the folder, the more recent images showing him as he pretty much was now. She'd even noticed his body filling out – more broad in the shoulders, taller.

A sketch of him made him pause – he looked lost in thought, chin propped in one hand, starting out the window with a pensive expression. After a few moments, he realised she'd sketched in the background of the interior of a train – was it during their trip on the recent All Soul's Day?

Next was a sketch of him gazing straight out of the paper. Involuntarily, a frisson of awareness shivered through him. He didn't know his emotions were that transparent to her - the self-disgust and fear that she'd turn away from who he was, _what _he was - practically jumped out from the page. When had this been taken? But his lips were closed, there was no hint of fangs… only the flowered tattoo she'd pencilled high up on the left of his neck, bared by the sweatshirt he appeared to be wearing. Zero closed his eyes for a moment, feeling again the soft feminine fingers on his neck that could soothe away the sharp pain as if by magic…

A couple of pages later and there was a sketch of him grinning madly at her – when the heck had this taken place? He glanced at the background, noticing a couple of French windows decorated with bunches of flowers. Faint music echoed in his brain and the memory of the dance came back to him again. This must have been how Yuuki saw him, just after he'd practically roared his head off with laughter over what she had said when they'd danced… and why the conversation had occurred in the first place. Ignoring the sudden warmth in his cheeks, he paused for a moment. Surprisingly, there were no sketches of him at all with his fangs showing… she'd seen them often enough… Why? Was it because she didn't _want _to draw a Zero with fangs? Or was it because she never thought of him as a… a vampire? His mind whirling with questions, he stared down at the page.

Another thought struck him. He'd never thought of himself as a particularly good looking guy. After all, his colouring was… well… odd, to say the least – silvery hair with those strange purple eyes… and the few times he'd glanced in the mirror, it was only to ensure the frown was firmly in place, the features wiped clean of all expression. And at other times, it was to see the familiar image distorted with the all too obvious signs of bloodlust…

But somehow, he looked… different… in the sketches – he was mildly surprised to find he appeared to be, in fact, more than passably good looking. The strands of silvery hair – he'd given up trying to style his hair simply because the fine strands simply refused to hold any style – that half covered his eyes somehow lent a… mysterious aura to him as well as accentuated his lean cheekbones. And his lips appeared fuller in the sketches, unlike the thinned ones he'd seen in the mirror when unconsciously cultivating his Grumpy School Guardian persona… And what was this - did he actually _have _a dimple in his left cheek? Where had that come from?

Shaking his head slightly at all these foolish 'embellishments' Yuuki had obviously added to improve the plain image of the Zero Kiriyu he knew, Zero couldn't help a surge of warmth in his heart all the same. He knew Yuuki cared deeply for him and loved him as a brother and a friend, but surely she needn't have bothered making him look better than he actually did?

He flipped to the next page and stopped short. The sketch was dated a week ago and he realised it was the day after the stray Level E vampire had tried to attack both him and Yuuki in town. It was a sketch of him with bare shoulders this time, propped up on his elbow, gaze pointed slightly downwards with a small smile hovering teasingly on his lips…

Was it the following morning when he'd awoken in her bed just before the Chairman had knocked on the door? He looked… he looked… hell, he looked like he'd woken up with an angel in his bed, one he absolutely adored, even worshipped, and one he was on the verge of kissing...

A stronger blush started this time – were his feelings so embarrassingly transparent to Yuuki? Did she know how he really felt about her? But she couldn't have – he'd have known if she had. If just a kiss had rattled her that much, a romantic confession from her best friend would've probably sent her right over the edge…

A sudden movement caught her eye and he looked up to see Yuuki was standing at the open doorway.

"Zero? You still in here?" she asked. "Dinner's almost ready…"

She walked into her room and flicked a glance at the folder in Zero's hand. Pressing her hand to her mouth to stifle a gasp, Yuuki darted large eyes towards Zero, cheeks flaming suddenly. "Oooh…" she said.

There was a silence. Surprisingly, Yuuki didn't seem angry that Zero had helped himself without asking her permission. Even so, he apologised quickly "Sorry – I really didn't mean to look…"

Still blushing furiously, Yuuki darted a glance at Zero. He wasn't angry that she'd sketched him. He looked simply… stunned. He was staring at her as if he couldn't believe her.

After a moment, he swallowed. "Yuuki - do I… do I look like that?" he asked softly.

Yuuki's hand lowered. "Like what?" she asked, her voice hovering just above a whisper.

He gestured helplessly at her folder. "Like that…"

"Yes" she whispered back.

Zero shook his head. "I don't…" he whispered.

"Yes, yes you do" insisted Yuuki, nodding to add emphasis to her words.

He glanced uncertainly at her then back at the drawings. Was this really how Yuuki saw him? Dare he hope that one day… one day, she could… perhaps…

Yuuki was looking at the latest sketch. She shouldn't have done it, she knew… it was just such a nice picture of Zero… she just hadn't realised until she'd finished that he'd looked sexy as hell… and she didn't know why she'd filed it in her folder instead of crumpling it up.

Shifting uneasily from one foot to the other, Yuuki clasped and unclasped her hands. "Well…" she said tentatively. "You should shower, Zero. Dinner will be ready soon…"

Zero was still looking painfully vulnerable and she didn't know what she should say. She should be angry he'd looked through her things… but she wasn't. And she thought he'd have been furious, amused or even indifferent to the drawings of himself… but he wasn't. He looked… touched, somehow.

"Hey, you OK, Zero?" she asked as the rather awkward silence grew. It broke the spell Zero was under, the one that had him almost opening his mouth and blurting out his deepest secret.

Rousing himself with an effort, Zero closed the folder but left it where it was. "Yeah, I'll go shower now…" he muttered, getting up. He walked behind her towards the door, then paused for a moment to squeeze her shoulder.

"Thanks, Yuuki…"

Yuuki stared after him, eyebrows up. "Thanks for what?" she asked.

"Nothing…" Zero didn't look back at her as he left her room.

-- Chapter End --


	20. Chap 09: Yuuki's Nightmare Part 1

**Author Notes: **25Feb - My apologies. This chapter wasn't as… polished… as it should have been. Hence, here is the updated version with a new beginning, an updated middle and an unchanged ending. It's also now a 2 parter but don't worry, both parts are uploaded.

But please know that I'm seriously lovin' all your fantastic reviews, LOL... _–reduced to a mass of seriously quivering ecstasy-_

22Feb - OK, we're back to the angst, and the blood drinking, and the – er, Chairman? Erm, you don't mind him, do you? _-giggle-_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the fabulous manga or characters of Vampire Knight… Darn it.

---------------------------------------- Start ----------------------------------------

Zero walked down the corridor, absently toweling his hair after his shower. He'd meant to ask Yuuki why she was so withdrawn and quiet today, but the Chairman had towed him away for patrol duties after dinner, leaving Yuuki to clear up. By the time they'd returned, Yuuki had already washed the dishes, left her signature puddle of water on the floor near the sink (albeit a slightly smaller pool this time), and disappeared into her room.

As Zero neared the end of the corridor, he caught Yuuki's sweet scent and realised she couldn't be sleeping just yet. Sure enough, she was just about to go into her room, already dressed in her pyjamas. Absently, his eyes traveled over the matching set – light green with a pattern of little puppies on it… it wasn't exactly the type of sleepwear a typical female teenager would wear – although he wasn't sure about what _that _was - but it was exactly what Yuuki would wear, and he couldn't imagine her in anything else, pyjama-wise.. unless it was something he owned… He quickly stopped his thoughts before they ran any further.

"Yuuki…"

Yuuki started then turned around. "Oh, Zero… going to sleep now?" her smile seemed a little forced tonight.

Zero walked over to her. "Yeah… hey, you OK?" he asked, frowning a little. He draped the towel around his neck, lightly holding both ends of the damp material as he waited for her reply.

Yuuki could smell the scent of Zero's shampoo soap on him and she had a sudden urge to have him step closer and give her a hug. And she knew he would if she asked. But she shouldn't burden him with her petty nightmares… after all, she wasn't a child anymore. And she knew Zero had plenty of nightmares of his own to deal with.

"Yes, I – I'm fine. Goodnight, Zero…" said Yuuki, unaware that her voice and face lacked their usual cheerfulness. She didn't wait for an answer before slipping inside her room and shutting the door.

Zero frowned. He'd have thought Yuuki would confide in him as she usually did…

Was it about school? They both hadn't had detention for two weeks, which he supposed was a record in itself, and her grades were, as far as he could tell, no better or worse than they normally were…

Had the Chairman said something to upset her? That was even less likely – Chairman Cross doted on his adopted daughter and both he and Zero were normally unable to deny her almost anything…

Had Kuran said or done anything to upset her? Zero found himself clenching his fists tightly. _If he had… _After a moment, he recalled Chairman Cross mentioning during dinner that the pureblood leader was away for a couple of days on Council-related business and would only be back at the end of the week. Well, that was a piece of good news, he supposed, relaxing slightly.

No matter – he would just ask her tomorrow, that was all. Sighing, Zero murmured "Goodnight, Yuuki" even though she couldn't hear him and went back to his own room.

- o -

The high pitched scream sounded not long after Zero had dropped off to sleep. He would've heard it earlier, only he hadn't had his customary in-class nap that day. Hence, it took a while to filter through his consciousness before finally piercing his dreams and scattering them.

Once awake, Zero jerked upright in bed. That cry – it was Yuuki's.

Swinging long legs to the floor, he stood up and strode swiftly to his door, yanking it open. The Chairman, in the kitchen for a drink of water, had heard the scream as well and, dressed in his familiar blue striped pyjamas and matching hat with bobble, walked past Zero and stopped outside Yuuki's door, his glasses perched crookedly on his nose.

"Yuuki? Are you OK? What happened?" The Chairman knocked urgently on the door. He knocked again more urgently when he couldn't hear any reply from her.

It was at times like this that Zero didn't bother to knock – leaning past the older man, he merely reached for the doorknob and opened the door. Yellow light from the corridor spilled into Yuuki's room and more light flooded the room as the Chairman's hand found the light switch and flicked it a second later. Zero was already halfway across towards Yuuki's bed by then.

She was thrashing about on her pillow, auburn strands clinging to her sweat dampened forehead and neck, her blanket tangled around her legs. "No - tell me why…" she muttered, then convulsed, covering her face with both hands, sobbing. Zero sat down beside her, shaking her shoulders.

"Yuuki, wake up!" Zero was conscious of the Chairman hovering at his shoulder and although he normally was more reticent with his emotions in front of the older man, he didn't really care this time.

"C'mon Yuuki – please wake up…!" he said urgently, shaking her harder. He couldn't bear to see Yuuki suffering in any way and her fear was starting to get to him. "Please!"

"Nooooooo!!" Yuuki screamed, before her eyes finally opened. Disoriented, panting, she stared at both of them in turn, her tear-drenched eyes wide with fear before recognition set in as she looked at the boy sitting beside her - jaw clenched, longish silver hair falling into amethyst eyes burning with concern - to the older man hovering behind him, concern and worry reflected in the slightly careworn bespectacled face. She shuddered suddenly.

Zero reached for Yuuki's upper arms and pulled her upright in order to hold her but the Chairman, his worried eyes on his daughter, absently pushed Zero away and sat down beside her. He placed a comforting arm around her shaking shoulders and turned her face into his shoulder.

Already on the verge of falling off the bed, Zero stood up rather uncertainly. He was frowning a little and belatedly realising he'd been _very _close to being openly affectionate towards Yuuki right in front of the Chairman.

Yuuki sobbed as she buried her face in her adopted father's shoulder… but somehow it wasn't enough. She didn't want a paternal hug right now; she didn't want a placating arm around her shoulders. She wanted to be hugged _properly_… she wanted to be enveloped in arms that would hold her as if they were completely loathe to let her go… she wanted to be held tightly against a familiar heartbeat that would soothe and comfort her… she wanted to hear the murmur of a low voice that held the power to calm her. She wanted quite simply, Zero's embrace.

Tearfully, she stretched out a trembling hand towards him, raising her tear stained face at the same time. "Zero…? Hold me please?" she pleaded.

The Chairman looked completely nonplussed, his arm falling limply to his side as Zero sat on the other side of Yuuki, beside her pillow. Ignoring the older man completely, Zero lifted an unresisting Yuuki onto his lap and wrapped his arms tightly around her. Yuuki buried her face in his left shoulder and wrapped her own arms around his back.

Zero, his lips pressed to Yuuki's hair, glanced up at the Chairman over the top of her head, not surprised to see the older man's face a study in amazement at both Yuuki's request and Zero's unexpected response to that request. Zero looked back steadily even though he could feel the heat traveling up his face. _Well... now he knew, didn't he?_

The Chairman blinked and slowly stood up. "Well, ah… I'll make some hot chocolate then… Come to the kitchen, both of you, once – once Yuuki's calmed down…" He hovered there for a moment, frowning slightly. He knew Zero was very fond of Yuuki, he just hadn't really… seen… physical proof… of that before.

It was Yuuki, with her innocent exuberance and bubbly personality, who usually initiated any type of physical contact with Zero - be it a small fist hitting his arm or chest for teasing her, a casual hand on his shoulder when discussing her homework or to catch his attention, or even a spontaneous hug from behind whenever she felt like it. And Zero mostly just tolerated Yuuki's open demonstrations of affection. Well, in his presence at least…

But Zero had carried Yuuki twice, hadn't he, during the two recent times when she'd fainted with high fever? Once on the school grounds, when he'd open his study door to see Zero and Kaname glaring daggers at each other over her unconscious form, and again when they'd come back from the recent All Soul's Day outing. And of course, they'd been physically close too, when dancing together recently. He now supposed there would have to have been other times as well, knowing that Yuuki willingly shared her blood with Zero, and having caught sight of his bite marks on her neck from time to time. His frown deepened.

Then as Zero buried his face in Yuuki's hair once more, the Chairman turned and left the room, leaving the door ajar.

Zero saw but didn't bother alleviating the initially lost and slightly hurt look in the older man's eyes over the fact that his darling daughter very much preferred her adopted brother's arms to his own. His mind also touched on the dawning suspicion reflected in the Chairman's eyes at their apparent closeness but… Zero's concern at this moment was for Yuuki and her alone…

Now he turned, lifting his legs onto the bed and leaned back against the pillows, letting Yuuki rest her head against his chest. His shirt was rapidly getting wet with her tears but he ignored it. Yuuki shifted upwards and Zero felt her nose pushing aside his pyjama shirt collar to bury her face in his neck and he couldn't help the slight twitch of his lips. For some unfathomable reason, Yuuki seemed to like his scent and while he couldn't understand it one bit – other than perhaps the fact that it offered a feeling of familiarity to her, having known each other for four years now – he couldn't find anything to complain about it at all…

It was some time before Yuuki calmed down, but she kept her face buried in his shoulder. "I'm OK now" she murmured softly, sniffling a little.

Zero brushed a kiss on her hair. "You sure?" he asked.

"Uh-huh…"

Zero dropped another kiss on the auburn strands, reluctant to move. He sat up slowly, keeping his arms around her. "We should go, your dear Father is waiting for us…"

Yuuki braced herself with a hand on Zero's chest as she swiped her other hand across her eyes. "I'm a mess" she muttered. Her hand encountered wet material and she looked at Zero's soaked shirt front with consternation.

"Oh dear…" she began, lifting guilty eyes to his.

"Forget about it" Zero dismissed, giving Yuuki a small shove to make her stand before standing up himself. He waited while she pulled tissues from the box on her nightstand to mop up her tear stained face and blow her nose before saying "Let's go…" He was reluctant to go to the kitchen but even more reluctant to have the Chairman come looking for them.

In the kitchen, the Chairman was sitting at the kitchen table, contemplating the three steaming mugs in front of him. He brightened when Yuuki entered the kitchen, Zero a step behind her. Fussing over Yuuki, he got her to sit down and placed a mug of hot chocolate in front of her. She accepted it with a nod of thanks but seemed reluctant to start speaking.

"Well, my dear, can you tell me… us… what it was about?" asked the Chairman gently, smiling at Yuuki over the top of his glasses. Zero's eyebrow lifted slightly at being initially left out but he said nothing, sitting beside Yuuki and sipping at his own mug of hot chocolate. He grimaced slightly; Yuuki may not have been the Chairman's biological father but surprisingly, they both shared the same sweet tooth…

The Chairman's glance took in the wet patch on Zero's pyjama shirt front without comment as he waited for Yuuki to speak.

"Uh…" Yuuki shot a glance at Zero and he had a sudden feeling that he was somehow involved in her nightmare.

"Well… it was about… Zero…" said Yuuki reluctantly, shooting him a rather apologetic glance.

"Zero?" echoed the Chairman blankly, looking from Yuuki to Zero and back to her again. Zero kept his face expressionless. Yuuki hesitated, staring into her mug as though the steam swirling up from it would present her with the words she needed to say… without making it too embarrassing for Zero.

Finally, she sighed and decided to get it over with. "Yes, about Zero" she confirmed. "He was… upset…"

"Upset?" echoed the Chairman for the second time, looking even more puzzled than before.

Yuuki sighed again. "Zero was crying… uncontrollably…" There – she'd said it. Her adopted father's mouth dropped open and her adopted brother choked on a mouthful of hot chocolate. Perhaps the Chairman hadn't seen him cry before but Yuuki certainly had… it had been quite uncontrollable as well and he would've bet his Bloody Rose gun it hadn't been a pretty sight to boot…

"Er… well…" hedged the Chairman. His expression clearly said it wasn't something to be having a nightmare over, only the fact that it had clearly upset Yuuki stopped him from actually saying so. "Don't worry anymore about it. Zero is a big boy now, he can take care of himself…" he said soothingly in a 'there there' kind of tone and patted her hand comfortingly, if a little condescendingly.

There was a rather awkward silence in the kitchen now as the three of them drank more chocolate, not knowing what else to say. Then Yuuki smiled wanly at the Chairman. "It was just a nightmare, I'm OK now…" Putting down her mug, she added "I think I'll go back to bed." and stood up.

Her father beamed at her. "Good idea, Yuuki… I'll come with – "

"Zero will go with me, Father…" added Yuuki, interrupting the older man by placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. As he gaped up at her, Zero stood up without comment. He knew Yuuki had more things she wanted to say, only not in front of the Chairman. They left the kitchen together, leaving a rather despondent Chairman to say to no one in particular, "Don't mind me, I'll just clean up in here…"

Receiving no reply from either of them, a rather audible sniff followed that plaintive comment.

In her room, Yuuki hugged herself as Zero closed the door and slid the deadbolt home, not fancying any well-meaning interruptions from the Chairman. She turned around to regard Zero with her large brown eyes as he leaned back against the door.

"Was it was like before?" he asked and they both knew he was referring to their All Soul's Day outing recently.

Yuuki shook her head rather distractedly. "It wasn't like before, Zero, it was much worse than at your parents' graves." Yuuki's large eyes were filled with tears of concern. "You weren't just upset… you were… inconsolable… distraught..."

Zero's eyebrows shot up. It honestly sounded rather melodramatic to him and he sought to dispel her fears. "Why, did Yuuki Cross decide not to let Zero Kiriyu drink her blood anymore?" he teased, hoping to get a smile out of her.

Yuuki frowned instead. "I'm serious, Zero!" she insisted, only just managing to stop herself from stamping a foot. Zero walked over to her. "Hey, I know…" he soothed. Placing his arms around her again, he pressed her head gently to his chest.

"Uh, your shirt's still wet…"

"It's OK…"

"No, it's not, you'll catch a cold…"

"Are you trying to get me to take it off then?"

Yuuki blushed, remembering what happened the last time he'd been in her room with his shirt off as well. "N-no, of course not! I – I just thought - "

"Fine!" Zero's long fingers made short work of unbuttoning his shirt and he shrugged it off seconds later, ignoring Yuuki's squeak of surprise. "Hey, you can't just…"

Zero ignored her, tossing his shirt carelessly onto the top of her nearby desk before hugging her again. Yuuki's rather indignant gasp was lost as her cheek was pressed to his bare chest but she relaxed after hearing the thump of his heart against her ear. Tentatively, she wrapped her arms around him and they stood there in silence for a while.

"You breaking down like that… it scared me, Zero…" she whispered.

"Don't be" he said softly, although he couldn't help wondering what would make him break down like what she'd said. Nothing scared him now… well, nothing except perhaps… anything concerning Yuuki's safety… or her happiness. Or both together.

A sudden thought came to him – was this the reason for Yuuki looking so unlike her usual self today? Had she dreamed about this before?

"Hey – this wasn't the first time you had this nightmare, right?" he asked.

Yuuki kept silent. Zero pulled away slightly, loosening his hold on her. "Look at me, Yuuki" he said. Yuuki looked up reluctantly, pursing her lips slightly at his rather commanding tone.

"Did you dream this as well last night?" he asked.

Reluctantly, Yuuki nodded. Tonight's one had been worse though… Slowly, she started speaking again.

"And then, I don't know how or – or why, but you suddenly collapsed, right in front of me…" her voice faltered then she buried her face in his chest again, holding him even tighter. Her voice was muffled as she spoke again.

"I – I tried, but I couldn't wake you up. I thought you had fainted… or something… but there was – was – no heartbeat…"

Yuuki broke off and shuddered again. "I thought you were dead, Zero…" she whispered brokenly then started crying again. Zero held her silently, his thoughts whirling. He hadn't realised the nightmare had been so… dire… and the extent of her fear and concern for him was touching.

"I can't bear it if anything happened to you" she whispered very softly.

"Nothing will…" he said, his voice tight with pain over her fear. There was a sudden pause as they both realised these words were a lie. But neither of them wanted to face that inevitable fact right now. So they both remained silent as they continued to hold on to each other.

After a while, Yuuki yawned against his chest. She hadn't slept well at all last night and with her fears temporarily soothed by Zero's warm arms and comforting presence, she was feeling sleepy now. Her arms dropped down to his waist as she leaned more heavily against him.

"Hey…" Zero shook her slightly. "You'd better get to bed before you fall asleep standing up."

"Mmm…"

"Do you… do you want me to stay here tonight?" he asked softly, his arms still around her. He really shouldn't - it was too risky, they ran the risk of being discovered by the Chairman each time. He couldn't forget the look he saw in the older man's eyes earlier… and he didn't even want to _think _of the expression on the Chairman's face if he ever caught them together in the same bed, never mind the fact whether or not anything else had happened.

Yuuki nodded without hesitation. "Please" she said simply.

Oh well.

"All right" Zero released her and gave her a little push towards the bed. "I'll switch off the light."

Yuuki got into bed, moving closer to the wall to give Zero more room. After he'd gotten into her bed and covered both of them with her blanket, Yuuki turned to face him, burying her face in his shoulder and resting one hand trustingly on his bare chest. Zero sighed soundlessly. There were quite a few things that Yuuki just didn't seem to get and having a half naked guy in her bed should probably rank among the top three of that list… All the same, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, hugging her close to him. In two minutes, she was fast asleep.

Zero took a while little, his thoughts swirling through his mind as his hand caressed her shoulder absently, her cotton pyjama shirt soft under his palm and fingers. What could make him lose it like that, according to Yuuki? What the hell was he doing in her bed? Didn't he have better sense? Did Yuuki really care so much about him that she could actually have nightmares about him being upset? She'd said before that she didn't want him to die but was that simply because he was one of the main persons in her life? Did she have any idea how wonderful it felt to have her in his arms? Did Yuuki know how perfectly she fit into his arms, snuggled up like that? Did she have any inkling how he ached to kiss her? Not just on her sweet lips but everywhere… Did – did - Sighing, he muttered to himself, "I'm demented…"

He forced his mind to go blank and concentrated on slow, steady breathing until he finally dropped off to sleep.

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	21. Chap 09: Yuuki's Nightmare Part 2

**Author Notes: **Part 2…

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When Yuuki opened her eyes the next morning, she found her head pillowed on a warm surface that rose and fell with a steady rhythm in time with the heartbeat against her right ear. Opening her eyes slowly, she saw a lean stomach with abdominal muscles lightly but clearly defined only inches away from her nose. Fully aware of the heartbeat and toned body belonging to one Zero Kiriyu, she absently started to trace the outline of his muscles with her finger, unaware for the moment that this would wake him up, if nothing else.

"Found anything interesting?" came Zero's voice in sleep slurred tones after a moment or two.

"Um hmm" murmured Yuuki absently, finger still drawing delicate lines on Zero's tummy and making him wonder helplessly if she had any idea what her feather light touch was actually doing to him.

A few moments later, he had his answer – Yuuki's eyes were suddenly caught by a slight but consistent movement in his pyjama pants and she gasped softly, snatching back her finger as if receiving an electric shock and jerking upright to slam back against the wall, darting a shocked look at Zero as she blushed furiously.

"Sorry" she said breathlessly. "I didn't mean to…"

Zero lifted himself up on his elbows, averting his rather warm face. "'s OK…" he mumbled. It wasn't the only hunger that had arose - holding Yuuki in his arms all night, enveloped in her enticingly sweet scent had aroused his bloodlust as well and Yuuki's eyes widened as she leaned forward and caught sight of the color of his irises.

"Zero? I think you need…"

Zero grimaced and shook his head. "No…" He swung his legs off the bed but a gentle hand on his shoulder stopped him. "It's about time anyway, isn't it?" she asked softly.

He turned and slanted a glance at her. "Well…" he hesitated, then started to turn towards her, eyes sliding to her neck. Yuuki held up a hand. "Wait - let me brush my teeth first…" She started to scramble off the bed, ignoring Zero's puzzled "Why? I'm not taking from your mouth…"

Yuuki ignored him and headed towards the sink in the corner of her room. She brushed her teeth vigorously before splashing cold water on her face. Zero reached for her as she came back towards the bed but she held up a hand to stop him and nodded towards the sink. "Your turn…" she said.

"What?" demanded Zero. Then, as Yuuki folded her arms across her chest and looked at him determinedly, he argued "This is your room, remember? My toothbrush isn't even here…"

Yuuki tossed her head, looking adamant. "Use mine, then…"

Zero was rather taken aback. They'd shared a lot of things - secrets even – his in particular - but toothbrushes were a definite first…

Giving in, he gave an exaggerated sigh, got off the bed and walked over to the sink. Finally catching sight of her toothbrush in the plastic cup on top of the glass shelf, he snorted in disbelief.

"This isn't a toothbrush, it's a – a toy!" No _way _was he going to use a minute version of a toothbrush that had a large pink plastic strawberry attached to the end of the pink plastic handle printed with strawberries on it, and pink – _yes, pink _– bristles at the other end. He almost gagged at the extreme _pinkness _of it all.

"No toothbrush, no blood" said Yuuki, still looking grimly at him.

Zero rolled his eyes in exasperation, caught sight of his crimson irises in the mirror in front of him and snatched up the hateful thing. He'd probably snap the flimsy thing in half… Finishing in record time, he splashed water on this face as well before drying off with Yuuki's hand towel, slightly placated by her scent clinging onto the cloth.

"OK, done!" he growled, walking back towards her, pushing his fingers through his water dampened hair.

"Good!" Yuuki smiled sunnily at him, all cheerfulness now, earlier stubbornness seemingly vanished into thin air. She was actually secretly amused at the sight of Zero using her pink child-sized toothbrush which Yori had picked out for her during a previous outing, more of a joke than anything else…

Zero's eyes narrowed – laughing at him again, was she? Stopping right in front of her, he placed his hands on her shoulders and slid them forward until his forearms rested on her shoulders before leaning his forehead against hers, gratified to see a small frown appear between the delicate strokes of her eyebrows. A frown that he wanted to smooth away with his lips…

"Er, Zero? What….?" she asked uncertainly as a small part of her mind realised something else – why did Zero always seemed to end up shirtless in her room?

"How about a little good morning kiss before… getting down to business?" he asked softly and the crimson hue couldn't completely hide the wicked twinkle in his eyes.

"Good morning… kiss?" Yuuki breathed.

"You know… between friends" he clarified in a whisper, suddenly wanting it more than anything. Their toothpaste scented breath mingled between them as he waited for her reply.

Yuuki struggled briefly between wanting that sweet, gentle kiss she'd experienced before, and saying no as she knew she ought to. "Well…" she finally whispered. "If it's just between - "

Zero didn't need any further encouragement. He dipped his head and placed his lips over hers, breathing in her scent and drowning in it. Lightly, he ran the tip of his tongue over her lower lip, coaxing her lips to open. After a moment, they did, and Zero's arms closed convulsively around her slight frame, drawing her close to him, as his lips slanted across hers and he tentatively entered her mouth. God, she tasted so _sweet_…!

Senses reeling still further, feeling her arms tightening around his back, he found her tongue and teased it lightly with his. Her lips parted further as she gasped softly against his mouth. Yuuki's shy response only fueled Zero's desire and he deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue against hers and hearing her breath hitch in unison with his increasingly ragged breath.

Until suddenly, he pressed closer and heard her sharp intake of breath. The taste and smell of her blood blossomed upon his senses a second later and he pulled away, staring unbelievingly at the drop of blood welling up at the side of her lower lip, slightly swollen from his ardent kisses. Yuuki looked rather surprised for a moment and Zero realised he must have nicked her lower lip with one of his needle sharp fangs.

At Zero's shocked look, Yuuki shook her head to forestall the apology she knew was coming, her tongue darting out to instinctively probe at the wound but he stopped her.

"No, let me…" he whispered. He dipped his head and licked off the drops of blood, pressing his tongue there until the slight bleeding stopped, shuddering as he resisted the sudden maddening urge to bite down hard on her lip and draw more blood from it, knowing his fangs had fully extended by now. Quickly, he pulled away.

"God, Yuuki, I'm sorry – "

Yuuki smiled at him, pressing gentle fingers against his parted lips, feeling the length of his fangs behind them. "Don't be…" she whispered.

Zero sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before turning his head to look out of the window.

"Hey… it's OK, Zero. Just an accident…"

He looked back at Yuuki, drinking in the concern in her eyes at his guilt. Then, as he kept silent, she tugged on his hand. "Come on, you need blood, right?" she pulled him towards the bed and they both sat down.

Fingering her pyjama collar, she finally realised she would have to strip yet again if she didn't want additional laundry to do… Glancing up at Zero, she realised he'd thought of the same thing as he raised an eyebrow at her. Yuuki started to get up. "Let me change into something else…"

"You could just… take it off" he suggested.

Yuuki gaped at him. "Are you crazy? I'm not wearing anything underneath!" she said indignantly before clapping a hand to her mouth. Of all things to say…

Zero waited, his lips twitching slightly as he fought a smile.

Yuuki hunched a shoulder. "Well, I guess it can't be helped" she said reluctantly, adding rather defensively "but you have to promise not to peek." as she reached for the first button on her shirt.

"Let me…" said Zero again, brushing her hands aside and unbuttoning her shirt with alarming swiftness almost before Yuuki realised what he'd done. She squeaked a protest, instinctively turning her back towards him, cheeks flaming even more as Zero snaked an arm around her waist and chuckled softly against her ear.

He nudged aside the left side of her shirt collar with his chin, hooking a long finger to slowly pull the shirt off her shoulder as he'd done previously. Yuuki tensed up, feeling the soft cotton sliding off her left shoulder and upper arm to pool at her bent elbow. She shivered helplessly as Zero dropped little kisses along her neck, from her earlobe to her collarbone, and across her bare shoulder. He was more than a little thankful to note that the bruises he'd created a couple of weeks ago had faded completely.

"Just start already…" she gasped softly, fully aware of her partial nudity against his bare chest – he'd also been shirtless the last time he'd unbuttoned her pyjama shirt, right? Since when had this become a rather alarmingly frequent occurrence - the partial nudity bit, not the actual blood drinking bit?

Zero leant further forward to reach the pulse at the base of her neck, pulling her head back against his shoulder at the same time.

"Zero…?"

"Hmm?" His increasingly ragged breath feathered across her neck as he ran his tongue over the pulse beating madly at the base of her throat.

"You're looking at me, aren't you…"

A short pause followed.

"You don't mind, do you?"

Yuuki gasped. "Of course I mind!" she said indignantly, glancing at him in panic and seeing his gaze fixed upon her exposed left breast.

"You do?" he asked, rather distractedly.

"Yes!" she hissed, her right hand reaching across to shield herself from his admiring gaze. Only when she'd covered herself did Zero glance at her. She gasped when he grinned at her, fangs glinting, instead of apologising as she'd half expected. Well, _really_…

"Just do it, OK?" she said tightly.

Zero returned his attention to the curve of Yuuki's exposed neck and she shivered again when she felt his warm tongue licking the pulse beating erratically at the base of her neck. He bit down a moment later, taking care not to insert his fangs too deep. For a moment, Yuuki's neck muscles tensed, then she relaxed, eyes fluttering closed and left hand reaching up instinctively to slide through his hair. Zero's left arm tightened around her slender waist, his right hand already tangled in her auburn hair as he tilted her head a little more to the right, exposing her throat further. He drank her deliciously sweet blood, his warm lips caressing her neck at the same time and making her shiver again.

He sucked at her neck, reveling in the warm sweet liquid spilling into his mouth and washing down his throat. He had changed… in the beginning, he had been disgusted – more than disgusted – at the thought of having to need blood to keep the hunger at bay. But although he still hated the thought of being made a vampire against his will, by the pureblood who had murdered his family and taken his twin brother, and having to continually inconvenience Yuuki, draining her of her blood and creating bite marks on her neck and wrists time and again… somehow, the actual act of drinking blood didn't seem so… disgusting anymore.

Was it because he was now addicted to Yuuki's sweet and intoxicating blood?

Or was it because the mere act of burying his face in the sweet curve of her slender neck while wrapping his arms around her waist had its own erotic appeal?

Or was it because it afforded him a valid reason to cradle her softly pliant figure against his own while he slaked his burning thirst from her veins, and to hold her close to his heart after that while they shared a moment of peaceful silence?

Or was it because of Yuuki's sweet and generously giving nature that made these sessions so pleasurable to Zero, that she could still look at him, talk to him and smile at him in the same affectionate way she always had, even after repeatedly feeling his fangs in her flesh and seeing the puncture wounds on her neck?

Or perhaps it was because, quite simply, he was in love with her?

No. It wasn't any of the above.

It was _all _of the above. All and more.

Zero had stopped drinking without even realising it, caught up in his swirling thoughts. He always felt more vulnerable and emotional each time after drinking Yuuki's blood and the urge to say something, to confess what he'd been wanting to say for some time grew stronger each time. But he couldn't. Not anytime soon. And definitely not now.

Sighing soundlessly, Zero gave himself a mental shake before pulling away slightly to survey the damage he'd done. He licked at the puncture wounds he'd created and pressed his tongue gently there to stem the slight bleeding, before swiping at her creamy skin to remove the faint traces of blood. Feeling the small shiver that passed through Yuuki again, Zero almost smiled.

"Thank you, Yuuki" he said softly.

Yuuki sighed, sliding her fingers through his hair before lowering her hand. "You're welcome, Zero… always" she said, leaning back against him as he wrapped both arms around her, rocking her slightly and making her sigh again, contentedly this time.

"You OK?" he asked a few minutes later.

"You didn't take that much, Zero"

"I mean about your… nightmare…"

"Oh." A small pause. "Yeah, I guess so…now…" she said softly. She placed her arms over his, her voice dropping even lower when she added "I like it when you hold me close like this…" Yuuki found it was a lot easier to say these things when she was not looking directly at Zero.

"I'll hold you anytime, Yuuki…" he murmured into her hair, resisting the urge to take her delicate earlobe into his mouth.

"Erm… you might want to let me do up my shirt first though…"

"I can do that, as well…"

"Like hell you will – Zero, stop it!" Yuuki tried to slap his hands away from her shirt and he pulled back, inadvertently pushing the right side of her shirt past her shoulder and causing that side to slip down her right arm.

They both froze in place before Zero leaned forward to rest his chin on her left shoulder. Blushing furiously, Yuuki glanced at Zero, seeing him gazing down at her exposed chest – again. Fuming, she accused "You did that on purpose… you… you…"

"I didn't!" denied Zero hotly, still staring. "You tried to slap my hands…"

"That's because I didn't want you to touch me…!"

Zero kept silent, but his lips started to twitch. Yuuki glared at him, trying hard to hold onto her indignation but it was no use – her own lips started to twitch moments later and she was giggling helplessly a few more seconds after that. Feeling rather vexed at her traitorous giggle, Yuuki simply turned and buried her hot face against Zero's shoulder, not wanting him to see her blush.

Seconds passed. Surprisingly, Zero hadn't moved a muscle. Then Yuuki heard him clear his throat.

"Yuuki?"

"Umm?"

"You do realise that your shirt's still hanging - off - " his voice sounded slightly strangled on the last word.

Two whole seconds passed before Yuuki gasped against his warm shoulder and jerked away, offering Zero a final glimpse of heaven before she swung away from him again.

"Of all the – " he heard her mutter as she shrugged her shirt back over her shoulders and started working on the buttons with slightly trembling fingers.

"Yuuki - it's not like I haven't seen them before" offered Zero, in an exasperatingly logical voice that held more than a hint of laughter.

A loud indignant snort was his only answer.

Zero tried again. "You're perfect, I told you that last time, remember?"

Yuuki shifted a little on the bed but remained resolutely silent. Of _course _she remembered. It wasn't as if he said such things everyday…

Zero sighed loudly. "Well, I'll just go back to my room then…" He got off the bed and started walking towards the door without looking back at her, grabbing his now dried and somewhat crumpled pyjama shirt from her desk on the way. That action caused a déjà vu feeling to ripple through him…

Yuuki's voice stopped him. "I am…?"

Zero glanced back at her. She still had an enchanting blush on her cheeks but her eyes were serious as she looked at him.

"You know you are…" he replied. She smiled then, suddenly, and he smiled his rare smile at her before unlocking her door and opening it.

"Get dressed, it's time for breakfast…" he called over his shoulder before walking off to his room.

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	22. Chap 10: Falling Part 1

**Author Notes: **Another chapter, but a three parter this time because it's longish and covers a couple of 'situations'. Sometimes, the chapter ends up being written a little differently from how I originally intended. Oh, and our adorable father figure appears once again. Hope you enjoy it…

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the fabulous manga or characters… but if I did, you know how the ending will be…

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The lone figure entering the imposing gates of Cross Academy moved slowly. His steps were halting, almost dragging, and the broad shoulders beneath the long black leather jacket were slumped as he walked up the hill to the main school buildings.

His numbed mind refused to think anymore. Each movement, every step was now autonomous. It was a good thing that he didn't encounter any of the Day Class girls on the way to his room because their fear of him would have morphed straight into curiosity at the sight of Zero Kiriyu, silent, bad tempered and intimidating School Guardian with the steely glare, looking as though he didn't have enough strength to swat a fly. In any case, it wasn't quite time for the class changeover yet.

He reached his room without knowing how he'd gotten there and shed his jacket, letting it fall carelessly on the floor and grabbed his towel before trailing to the bathroom for a much needed hot shower.

An hour later, Yuuki huffed as she paced up and down the corridor for the dozenth time, holding her towel and a set of clean clothes under one arm, still dressed in her white school shirt and black skirt. She'd never known Zero to take so long to shower, it was normally a five minute affair, sometimes even less. But even after twenty minutes of waiting, she could still hear the shower water running at full blast.

Finally giving up, she tapped sharply on the opaque glass panel. "Zero!" she called. "Hey, are you done or not? I need to shower too, you know…" She wasn't in a good mood especially after having to single-handedly hold back the screaming Day Class schoolgirls as the elite Night Class vampires walked out of the Moon Dorm grounds to class, while Zero got off scot-free, hunting a stray Level E vampire that had fallen to madness.

Well, OK, not scot-free… she was still haunted by the near attack of the Level E vampire they had encountered a couple of months back, the one Zero had killed. She on the other hand, couldn't imagine actually killing anybody, human or vampire, sane or otherwise… But she'd promised Zero she would one day… when – NO. If, IF that fateful day ever came.

Lost in her thoughts, Yuuki bent forward and leaned her forehead on the bathroom door. Hot tears pricked at the back of her eyes and she shut her eyes tightly to stop them from falling. Pull yourself together, Yuuki… she muttered to herself. What would Zero think of her, always shedding tears like a baby…

Taking a deep breath, she prayed that day would never come… even though she knew it would. It was so unfair. Life was unfair. Zero had everything to live for. He came from a proud family of vampire hunters… his grades were good… in fact, he seemed to be good at everything he tried his hand at. And he was a good person on the inside as well… he was honest, caring, fair and even generous with his time for her.

In fact, what would her life be without Zero by her side? It was something she couldn't even imagine. He'd come into her life when she was eleven years old and had been a part of it ever since. He'd become a very close friend to her, in many ways, closer even than Yori. He was like an older brother to her, except for the occasions when she sometimes felt _she _was the older one. And she knew Zero like no one else did. She knew the person he was on the inside, the torment and fears he lived through each day, the hurting person he was behind that bad temper and angry stare. He was opening up more and more to her each time and in her presence he could be breathtakingly gentle, unbelievably tender, exasperatingly irritating and even laugh out loud funny at times.

Yuuki suddenly realised she was still leaning her head on the door, a rather silly position to be in if she didn't want to end up pitching forward and getting a bump on her forehead should the door open suddenly.

Sighing, she straightened up and knocked on the door again. Louder. There was still no answer. "Zero? Can you hear me?" she called louder.

Still no answer. Sighing resignedly, Yuuki twisted the doorknob. As expected, it was unlocked and she peeped cautiously around it. She was surprised to see Zero sitting on the floor in the enclosed shower stall, leaning against the tiled wall, one arm carelessly resting on a bent knee, completely naked as water from the shower head continued to rain down on him within the glass enclosure.

Yuuki paused for a moment. "Zero?" she asked uncertainly. She couldn't tell if his eyes were opened or not as he was staring down at the floor but something about the despondent set of those broad shoulders…

She let the bathroom door close behind her as she walked tentatively to the shower cubicle. Zero looked up then and there was pure and utter despair drawn sharply in his pale features. "No, not you, Yuuki…please not you…." he said. The words were somewhat muffled and Yuuki's eyebrows shot up. "What are you talking about, Zero?" she asked. She pulled on the chrome handle of the glass door, getting one sleeve of her school shirt wet as she reached in and twisted the tap, shutting off the water.

"Zero?" she said again in the sudden silence. He shuddered and blinked, seeming to see her for the first time. He looked around, then down at himself, chagrined to find himself completely naked with Yuuki standing in front of him.

"You've been in here ages…" she said by way of explanation, breaking off in concern as Zero suddenly buried his face in his hands, shaking uncontrollably. Yuuki stepped into the cubicle and knelt down in front of him on the wet floor. "Hey, what's wrong?" she asked softly.

Not getting any reply, Yuuki assumed he'd completed his shower – she couldn't see any soapsuds on his body. She reached up to drag his towel off from the top of the glass door and started to wipe his hair.

"Let's get you dried off, OK?" she asked, reverting to the gentle coaxing tone she'd used many years ago when Zero had first come to stay with her and Chairman Cross, a quiet and withdrawn boy who hardly spoke.

Yuuki skimmed the towel over his arms and down his chest towards his stomach and found her attention caught. She paused for a moment… a very distracted part of her mind registering the fact that the Zero sitting in front of her now was a lot more – manly - than the Zero of four years ago that she'd helped to bathe and dress during the first week he'd come to stay with them.

But even after she'd half dried his hair, there was still water dripping onto his chest. Only… it wasn't water from his hair. Yuuki placed gentle fingers under Zero's chin, tilting it up to face her. Her heart twisted at the silent tears running down his pale cheeks.

"Oh, Zero…" she murmured, "C'mon, get up, you need to help me here…" she pulled him up as much as she could, almost slipping on the wet floor. Staring fixedly at a particular tile on the floor, she wrapped the towel around his lean waist, tucked in the corner and pulled him out of the bathroom to his room. He followed her, unresisting.

Yuuki locked his room door behind them. Zero was trembling violently now but there was still that eerie silence as she pulled him to the bed. He dropped down on it, hunched, staring down at the floor as silent tears continued to fall down his cheeks onto his towel-clad lap.

Yuuki sat beside him, grasping his shoulders in her small hands to turn him towards her. "Zero, what's wrong?" she asked, tears filling her own eyes, she could practically feel his pain tearing at her heart but she didn't know why.

"Please tell me… did something happen?" she asked.

Slowly, Zero looked up at her. Pain glimmered in those tortured amethyst eyes. "Yes…" he finally whispered before his face crumpled up. He threw his arms around her suddenly, knocking her back against the pillows. Her shriek was muffled in his bare shoulder as her head hit the pillows, her arms tightening around him instinctively as she fell backwards. Zero buried his face in her shirt front, his chest heaving against her hips as he tried to fight the sobs that threatened to overcome him. C'mon, get a grip… one part of his mind told him but the tears were unstoppable.

He gave in a few moments later and Yuuki lay there, stunned. This was much worse than how he'd broken down at his parents' graves before, there was a hopeless note in the wracking sobs that was shuddering the body against hers… And it was her nightmare all over again. The hopelessness, the keening sound of agony, the fear that something could never be put right…

And there was nothing she could do now… except hold him. So she did, at the same time murmuring soft words of comfort as she stroked his hair and back, feeling her own tears sliding from her eyes down her cheeks and onto his wet hair.

He was very heavy on her and the front of her shirt was getting completely soaked with his tears, while her skirt was getting damp from the towel around his hips but she didn't care. All that mattered now as she half lay, half sat against his pillows was the boy in her arms who was crying helplessly as though the very world was ending for him. She could hardly reconcile this person as the self-contained, expressionless, moody School Prefect with the amethyst gaze that could reduce a group of Day Class girls to tears in mere seconds.

It seemed to take forever and Yuuki was close to getting a backache before Zero finally calmed down, hiccoughing and sniffling against her wet shirt. "Yuuki…?" he said hoarsely.

"Yes…" she murmured, bending down to kiss his hair, smelling the familiar scent of his shampoo on the still damp silvery strands.

He breathed deeply a few times, his warm breath on her wet shirt before he pulled away to sit up. The beautiful amethyst eyes were red rimmed and he swiped a hand across them, grimacing as he glanced down at her. "Sorry, I'm too heavy to be lying on you like that…"

Yuuki shrugged, her eyes on him as she raised herself onto her elbow. His glance had shifted down to her shirt again, where even the lacy cups of her bra were clearly visible through the now transparent material of her wet shirt. As expected, he couldn't seem to look away and far from being annoyed or embarrassed this time, Yuuki found her lips twitching slightly as she resisted the temptation to roll her eyes at him.

"You must be feeling better now, huh?" she said, and the somewhat dry tone pulled Zero out of his admiring contemplation to glance up at her again.

"Sorry…"

"Forget about it…"

They spoke together, then fell silent. Zero sighed and got up slowly from the bed to his desk, pulling tissues out to blow his nose. "You should change your shirt, Yuuki" he said, keeping his gaze outside his window even though they both knew he wasn't looking at anything.

"Later…" said Yuuki impatiently. There was another silence before Zero seemed to pull himself together with a visible effort. He moved to his cupboard and drew out pyjamas and a sweater which he tossed at Yuuki. "Here, change into this at least… I won't look."

He didn't wait for her reply before turning his back on her and started pulling on his clothes. Yuuki half turned away as she swiftly unbuttoned her wet shirt and shrugged it off, dropping it on the floor. Her wet bra was next then she pulled his sweater over her head and pushed her arms through the sleeves. It was way too long for her petite frame so she took off her rather damp skirt as well, since the sweater reached halfway to her knees.

Zero was already dressed but still turned away from her so she said softly "OK, I'm done…"

He turned to face her, a warm surge of pleasure welling up in him at the sight of Yuuki in his lilac sweater and seemingly nothing else, pushing the too long sleeves above her slender wrists. It was much too big for her and she looked adorable, practically swallowed up in the soft wool, its colour making her skin look rosy by comparison. It was definitely better than the best fantasy he could've come up with…

Zero reached absently to hook his damp towel on the hooks behind his door and didn't even realised he'd missed and the towel was now lying on the floor. He walked over to her, holding her gaze with his own. Something about the intense look in his gaze made Yuuki catch her breath despite herself…

But when he reached the bed and lowered himself onto it, it was only to grasp her upper arms to pull her onto his lap before he wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

There was a moment of silence as Yuuki buried her face in his shoulder.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked softly.

"Of course not, silly…"

"I was too heavy…"

"Yes, you were… but I'm fine."

A moment of silence passed.

Zero…?"

"Hmm?"

"Can you tell me what happened just now?"

He blew out his breath, wondering what to say. Yuuki's next question took him by surprise.

"Did you kill him? That crazed vampire, I mean…?" She felt his body tense against hers.

A pause. "Yeah…"

Yuuki lifted her head from his shoulder to look at him. "And…?"

Zero swallowed, looking around his room unseeingly. A shudder shook his body as he closed his eyes, reliving the last few moments of that pathetic creature's life. A sudden pain tore again at the left side of his neck and he winced, clapping a hand to the aching area.

Yuuki pulled his hand away then cupped her own hand over the flowered tattoo, fingers gently caressing the warm skin. Slowly, he relaxed as the pain subsided, then faded away completely.

"Tell me" Yuuki's voice was soft despite the command. She reached up gentle hands to keep his face turned to hers, looking into his eyes.

"Oh, Yuuki…" Zero breathed softly, her compassion as always, his undoing. His anguish at the kill was clearly visible in his eyes. "What is there to say? I saw what I will be in the future… someone damned to hell, and guilty of murdering a loved one!" He broke off to shudder in anguish. "That vampire… that man… he'd just killed his own wife, back in their house, and he didn't even know it at that time. And by the time he realised, it was too late. He'd drained her completely. He ran off… I managed to trace him from his house and I found him, in an alley on the other side of town. We fought for a while… but after I pinned him down, he begged me to kill him, to end his life. He couldn't live with himself… so – so I killed him…"

The words spilled out in a rush, Zero's voice trembling uncontrollably, and Yuuki gazed at him, shock mirrored in the large brown eyes. "Zero…" she murmured, tightening her arms around him.

He hugged her tightly, convulsively. "That is what I will become, Yuuki… a blood crazed creature with only his hunger driving him… a beast devoid of any human feelings… What if I hurt you one day, Yuuki? What if I actually – " he broke off and shuddered. "I won't be able to forgive myself for that, I can't!" He squeezed her tightly, causing Yuuki to gasp for breath in his embrace.

Suddenly realising this, he forced his arms to loosen around her. "Sorry… I – I…"

Yuuki's fingers pressed against his lips, silencing him. "Shhh" she whispered, tears slipping down her cheeks. "Don't say anything more, Zero…" she begged, her own anguish showing in her eyes. "You won't be like that, you won't!" As much a fact as it was, it was also inconceivable that Zero would one day turn into the monster he'd just killed. "I won't let you…" she vowed, crying despite herself.

Zero didn't know what to say – why did he always end up hurting this gentle person whom he treasured most in the world?

"Hush…" he whispered, rocking her now. She was crying in earnest now, her sobs heartbreaking, saying over and over "I won't let you be like that, I won't…"

Her heartbreak triggered his own tears and before long they were clinging to each other, shedding tears, knowing it was inevitable despite what they wanted to believe.

Unable to help himself, Zero placed a hand under Yuuki's chin and lifted her tear streaked face to his. The helpless anguish in her face reached out to him. "Yuuki…" he whispered and it was instinct that guided his lips to hers. Her soft cry was muffled against his lips and she clung to him, wanting, needing the comfort of his soft kiss.

But in seconds, the comforting kiss he'd originally intended ignited into something else. Suddenly, they had stopped crying. Suddenly, they were kissing passionately, madly… moist parted lips moved restlessly against each other, tongues met and mated, fevered hands unbuttoned, searched and stroked…

Finally they broke apart, panting for air. Yuuki looked dazed, her breaths coming in gasps as she found herself clutching at Zero's unbuttoned shirt with one hand – had _she _done that? - and her other hand flat on his chest. Inside his shirt.

She raised her eyes to his. Confused and stunned chocolate met equally stunned amethyst ones hazy with desire. Zero bent forward again, needing more but Yuuki shrank back slightly and he froze. Slowly, his breathing slowed down, the cloud of desire clearing as he belatedly realised what he'd been doing. Very slowly, trying to be as nonchalant as possible, he removed his hand from under the sweater she was wearing, where it had been reverently stroking the graceful swells of flesh he'd known was there. The sweater had ridden up somewhat and Zero swallowed hard when he caught a glimpse of pale thighs.

Yuuki's cheeks heated up even more as she felt his hand slide away from her. Dear God, she'd wanted… wanted… What had she wanted? Nothing. No, everything.

Zero shifted a little and Yuuki instinctively glanced down. Her weight on his lap pulled his pyjama pants material taut and it was pretty obvious that Zero was not unaffected by what had just happened. When she next glanced up, his cheeks were flaming as much as hers. Quickly, Yuuki released her grip on his shirt and shifted backwards, only to clutch again at his shirt when she almost fell off his lap. Zero's hands gripped her shoulders, steadying her. They both glanced away. The silence was extremely awkward and Yuuki finally came back to her senses enough to slide off his lap and stand up on rather unsteady legs.

Not daring to look at him, she swung around and started walking to the door.

"Yuuki… don't go."

She paused but didn't look back despite hearing the pleading note in that low voice.

"Please."

Well, she could never say no to him, could she? Slowly, she turned back, knowing her cheeks still held warm colour.

The desire in his eyes had died, leaving only loneliness and anguish.

"Oh, Zero…" Yuuki murmured, feeling a pang in her heart again.

"Would you stay with me... tonight?" he asked, his voice aching.

Yuuki's lips parted in surprise. Surely he didn't mean…?

Zero read her thoughts and he glanced away. "Not that. I… just don't want to be alone. Not tonight" he said softly.

Yuuki regarded him silently then she sighed and gave a little toss of her head, smiling a little ruefully. "All right, let me take my shower first." He gave her a small smile in return, knowing she still trusted him implicitly despite what just happened.

Belatedly realising they hadn't eaten yet as the Chairman was dining out tonight, she asked "What about dinner?"

Zero got up from the bed. "You go take your shower, I'll cook something" he offered.

Yuuki smiled briefly, already knowing that instant noodles were on the menu tonight. At the door, she turned back. "You might want to make sure you're… er… more – erm, relaxed… first" she said. "You know…" she added, glancing meaningfully at the lower half of his body.

Zero inhaled sharply before pressing his lips tightly. He could hardly control his reaction when she'd been sitting on his lap with her tongue in his mouth and her nimble fingers exploring his chest now, could he? OK, thoughts weren't helping… it was all very well for her to say such things – well, what did she expect him to do?

"Care to give me some ideas on how…?" he drawled, raising an eyebrow and looking almost like the old sardonic Zero Kiriyu she knew.

It worked - Yuuki's mouth formed a small oval of surprise, eyes wide, before she gasped in mingled indignation and embarrassment, swinging around to unlock his door and wrench it open. A muffled "Not on your life!" sounded outside the closed door before he heard her stomping away. Despite the current 'unrelaxed' state of his body, a small grin tugged at Zero's lips.

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	23. Chap 10: Falling Part 2

**Author Notes: **Part 2 of 3…

_-and am still madly grinning over the fantastic reviews received for Part 1-_

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Yuuki huffed to herself as she marched to the main bathroom. _Ideas…?! _The only one she could think of which she could actually bring herself to say was for Zero to have a cold shower, and that was the one thing he didn't actually _need_, since he'd just had one.

She paused at the bathroom door, belatedly realising she was empty-handed. But – she'd been carrying her towel and clothes earlier, hadn't she? Stepping inside, she was relieved to see them lying on the wooden bench that stood next to the bathtub. She must have tossed them earlier upon seeing Zero in the shower cubicle. Thank goodness she hadn't left them in his room – Yuuki was suddenly very reluctant to face him again until she'd had some time to let her burning cheeks cool down a bit…

She shied away from the memory of the blush-inducing remark from Zero, that had caused her to flounce from his room just now, and from the even more blush-inducing wild kiss they had shared, but her mind recalled them nonetheless, and in excruciatingly clear detail. The kiss in particular, in which she'd unbuttoned his… and he'd touched her…

Exhaling loudly, Yuuki shook her head hard to clear her thoughts about what they had each done. Stripping off his sweater and her underwear, she stepped into the shower, washed her hair and showered, then dressed in clean clothes. She stopped by Zero's room to drop off his sweater and pick up her discarded and still damp uniform before going to her own room to toss her towel onto her desk chair and run a comb through her wet hair. She was a little surprised to find it was already past ten o'clock; no wonder she had been feeling so hungry for the past several minutes. Walking to the dining room, her nose informed her that dinner – or rather supper - was already ready, and her stomach growled appreciatively in response.

Two bowls of steaming noodles in soup stood waiting on the dining table and Zero was lounging in his usual seat, absently twirling the chopsticks in his lean fingers. He didn't look up at first even though he'd heard her approaching the dining room.

"Hey, you needn't have waited for me…" chided Yuuki gently as she sat down opposite him. Zero flicked a glance at her. "I always eat faster than you, anyway" he commented, straightening up. They started eating in silence.

After about half a minute, Yuuki frowned a little – the comfortable silence they normally enjoyed was somehow missing. Surely it couldn't be due to that earlier kiss? Her cheeks heated up again and she kept her gaze resolutely on the contents of her bowl. Well, yes but not entirely… it was probably also due to the fact that she'd agreed to sleep with him. Yuuki winced inwardly at her choice of words – _sleep_, real sleep, and not... not anything else…

Zero could also feel the tension between them and he had a pretty good idea of why that was – the kiss probably accounted for most of the blush Yuuki was desperately trying to hide by giving her noodles undue rapt attention. But there was also another reason. The previous times they had ended up sleeping in each other's beds, those had been impromptu decisions - made and carried out within seconds before any really uncomfortable feelings could have arisen. This one wasn't.

The simple meal dragged on for longer than it normally would have. Zero finished first and waited until Yuuki had swallowed her last mouthful before he stood up. The sudden sound of his chair being dragged back made Yuuki's head jerk up.

Zero regarded her expressive face silently for a moment before reaching for her bowl. "Yuuki, if you're uncomfortable with it, then don't" he said quietly.

Yuuki bit her lip and glanced away. "Don't what?" she asked even though the deepening flush on her cheeks told Zero she knew very well what.

"Don't come to my room after this" he said bluntly.

Oooh…! Yuuki flushed even more and stared down at the table. Then her own chair scraped backwards as she stood up suddenly and faced him with a defiant toss of her head, palms flat on the table. "Who said I was uncomfortable?" she challenged him.

Zero looked rather taken aback. He thought Yuuki would've grabbed the chance he offered. Then again, being Yuuki, she didn't always behave in the way others would… He shrugged in a carefully off handed way before stacking her bowl on top of his own one and grabbing their chopsticks.

"Hey…" Yuuki reached for the bowls. "I'll wash up, since you cooked…"

Zero shook his head. "I'll do it. You go get ready for bed" he said gravely. He didn't quite mean for it to come out sounding like it did, but he found himself enjoying the sight of Yuuki's blush anyway.

Ignoring the heat she could feel burning her face, Yuuki narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm ready whenever you are" she tossed back.

Zero almost smirked. He settled for raising an eyebrow instead. "You're going to sleep in those?" he asked mildly, nodding at her clothes.

Yuuki glanced down at herself, then back up at Zero. He was trying very hard not to smile but his dimple showed anyway and she smiled ruefully. "Well, I'll be ready in five minutes" she conceded before trailing off to her room .

"I'll be waiting" he called after her.

Back in her room, Yuuki reached for her pale yellow satin pyjamas then hesitated, wondering if Zero would remember it from the last time she'd sought him out in his room to force him to drink from her. The slow, almost sensual way he'd half undressed her, sitting behind her on the same chair and holding her close to him as he slaked his thirst at her neck, the tender way he'd held her, then carried her to her bed after that, the surprise on his face after she'd pulled him down to brush a soft kiss against his cheek…

Realising that she was now fingering the shiny material in her hands in a most undecided fashion, Yuuki sighed impatiently and pushed it aside, grabbing the salmon pink pyjama set instead. The soft cotton was patterned with small yellow daisies and rather girlishly trimmed with lace around the collarless neck, short sleeves and matching knee length pants.

Five minutes had already gone by. Yuuki quickly brushed her teeth at the sink in her room, smiling in spite of herself as her toothbrush invoked a recent and amusing memory, then ran her comb once more through her almost dry hair. Finally, she left her room, switching off the light and locking the door before pocketing the key.

Zero was already standing by his room window when he heard Yuuki's light footsteps approaching. He was wondering if she was going to wear the pale yellow pyjamas that had felt so satiny smooth under his fingers when he'd bared one shoulder to drink her intoxicatingly sweet blood in his room previously…

A cursory tap sounded on his door before it opened and Yuuki entered his room. "Phew – lucky the Chairman is not back yet, huh? she smiled, reaching behind her to slide the deadbolt home. Her smile faded as he looked silently back at her. "Zero?" she asked.

Zero let his eyes rove over the pyjamas she was wearing, slightly disappointed it wasn't the pale yellow satin pair. Although he had to admit this one looked cute as hell too… Hurriedly, he cleared his throat. "I think… perhaps we shouldn't - " he broke off, realising how unconvincing he'd sounded. He tried again "I mean, if you'd rather not - " Hell, that sounded even more cringingly pathetic.

Yuuki frowned at him in mock annoyance. "Who's feeling uncomfortable now?" she challenged, chin lifted. Zero had to smile a little at that. "I'm not if you're not…" he told her.

Yuuki smiled tentatively at him. "Well then…" she said softly and reached for the light switch, flicking it off and plunging the room into darkness, lit only by the moonlight streaming in through the window.

Suddenly uncertain, she paused by the doorway. Geez, this was rather awkward… the previous times he'd slept in her bed, he'd _carried _her there but now… Yuuki was suddenly reluctant to actually _walk _to his bed. It would feel so - weird.

Zero sensed her uncertainty. Without a word, he walked over to her as she stood there, silent and wide eyed. He looked down at her for a moment, inhaling her soft sweet scent and feeling it soothe him, calm him. Then, with a suddenness that took Yuuki by surprise, he swung her up in his arms. Yuuki shrieked softly but flung her arms around his neck as he cradled her head against his shoulder.

"Who's feeling uncomfortable now?" he teased as he carried her back to his bed.

Yuuki turned her face into his shoulder. "Not me…" she mumbled.

He paused at his bed. "Yuuki…?"

She lifted her head to look at him.

"But you trust me…" It was a question and Yuuki smiled, her awkwardness suddenly vanishing in the wake of the softly spoken words. "Always, Zero" she replied.

He sighed a little in relief then bent down to place her gently on his bed, her head on his pillow. Yuuki shifted in to make more room for him and he slid in beside her, reaching for his blanket at the foot of the bed.

Yuuki turned to face Zero, raising herself onto her elbow and propping her head in her right hand. He paused in the act of covering them with the blanket. "What is it?" he asked.

She hesitated, catching her lower lip again. She wanted to ask him something but she didn't know how to form the words. She wanted to ask a few somethings, actually… like how he was feeling after that very emotional outburst. Like whether or not he had also felt the slight tension between them as they ate just now. Like why that kiss was so… different… from its two predecessors. Like whether he was more… relaxed... now.

Zero waited, watching Yuuki trace small circles on his pillow with her finger, still chewing on her lower lip.

"Zero…"

He dragged his gaze away from her lips and flung the blanket over both their legs. Mirroring her posture, he rested his own head in his left hand as he looked back at her.

"Yeah?"

Yuuki settled for the question that was the easiest to ask out loud even though she didn't really want to bring it up at all.

"Are you feeling OK now?" she asked softly. The slightly haunted look in her eyes told Zero she was referring to the Level E vampire he'd killed and he glanced away before looking back at her.

"Yeah…"

It was a lie and they both knew it.

Yuuki hesitated again, her finger drawing larger circles on his pillow. About the other questions…

Seconds drifted by as Zero silently read all the questions in Yuuki's face, then she sighed softly and murmured "Never mind…" She settled down again on the pillow, still turned towards him. Then she changed her mind and turned to face the wall. A second later, she shifted back to face Zero again. By this time, she'd managed to pull the blanket off both of them.

Yuuki paused in an agony of indecision - should she turn to face him or the other way around? She hovered there awkwardly for a moment before finally glancing up at Zero. He was looking at her, trying hard not to smile.

"Would you prefer – "

"Why don't you - "

They spoke at the same time. Her tone was hesitant, embarrassed. His was gentle, amused.

Yuuki looked into Zero's eyes and the moment stretched into silence as he looked back, wanting nothing more than to lean forward and kiss away the endearing way she was still catching her lower lip with her teeth. The only reason he didn't was because of the way she had shrunk back a little from him earlier.

Finally, Zero forced himself to smile before saying "Turn around and face the wall, Yuuki". That small smile coaxed an answering one from Yuuki. Then, surprisingly, she started to giggle and that pulled a reluctant chuckle from Zero. The tension melted away as if by magic as they both started laughing.

Shaking her head slightly over what had just transpired, Yuuki turned onto her other side. Zero covered them once more with the blanket before pulling her back against his chest. She pillowed her head on his shoulder and reached for his right hand, interlacing her fingers with his warm ones and tucking it against her stomach. Zero's breath ruffled her hair and Yuuki wondered why she'd felt so awkward earlier when snuggling against him now felt so… right. She gave a small sigh.

"Hey, you OK?" asked Zero, carefully maintaining a couple of inches gap between his hips and Yuuki's.

"Mmm…"

"Me too…"

Yuuki giggled again. "Goodnight, Zero" she said, rolling her eyes a little even though she knew he couldn't see.

"Goodnight, Yuuki" he said softly, burying his face in her hair.

Yuuki fell asleep almost immediately but Zero's thoughts kept him awake for much longer.

- o -

When morning came, both Zero and Yuuki were still sleeping soundly, her back tucked up even closer against his chest and his arm wrapped securely around her waist. They awoke with a start when someone started banging on the door. Zero mumbled something unintelligible against Yuuki's hair before jerking to full wakefulness. His normally alert vampire senses appeared to have temporarily deserted him. Again.

Yuuki twisted in his arms to look up into his face, her wide eyes registering alarm. _Not again…! _They both glanced in unison at the clock on her nightstand – it was slightly past seven in the morning, not quite time for them to get up yet…

"Zero! Are you in there? Open up!" called the Chairman, sounding rather agitated. It was a good thing Yuuki had locked the door last night, since the doorknob was also rattling. Loudly.

"Zero!"

Yuuki stopped breathing, her fingers clenching hard on Zero's arm. They both stayed still.

"Zero! Open up!"

Zero sighed and rose up onto one elbow, dislodging Yuuki's head onto the pillow. He gave her a look of warning before easing away from her temptingly sleep-soft body. Reaching the door, he slid back the deadbolt and opened the door exactly three inches, making sure his body blocked any sight of his bed and praying Yuuki had exhausted her giggles, at least for now.

"Zero - have you seen Yuuki?" asked the Chairman hurriedly.

Startled, Zero stared at him for a moment before opening his mouth, fully prepared to lie. Something stopped him. It could have been the genuinely worried look in his adopted father's eyes. It could have been the fact that this sort of thing had happened one to many times. He didn't exactly know.

The older man was looking close to panicky now and the words tumbled out of his mouth "I couldn't find her anywhere. Her door is locked and she's not answering… I thought she was just sleeping soundly, but perhaps something's wrong, I just know it!" Chairman Cross knew he was babbling somewhat – and to Zero of all people - but he couldn't forget Yuuki's scream during her recent nightmare.

"I may need to break down her door; she may have fainted… maybe high fever…" he muttered now as he tried to shove the door open enough to grab Zero's arm to follow him. "Come now…" he pushed harder on the door as he felt resistance. "Now, Zero!"

Zero's keen ears had caught the very soft sounds of Yuuki sitting up cautiously in his bed. He could lie, of course. It wouldn't be the first time. He could say he'd be right there and give them both a moment for Yuuki to slip out unnoticed. He could say Yuuki was probably working on a surprise that she didn't want them to find out just yet. He could – he could have said a hundred other things to throw the older man off the scent.

So he didn't know why he did what he did then. He didn't know what made him loosen his grip on the door. He didn't have an inkling of what caused him to meet the Chairman's gaze squarely. And he definitely had no idea what made him open his mouth to say "Yuuki's not in her room."

The Chairman frowned. "Wha – what do you mean Yuuki's not in her room? Where could she be? Her door is locked..." He stood there looking rather perplexed at Zero's cryptic statement.

Zero remained silent.

A thought struck the Chairman. "And how do you know she's not in her room, Zero?"

Again, there was a hundred ways Zero could've replied to that question. He didn't know why he chose one of the worst. Jaw clenched hard, he said tightly "Because Yuuki slept here last night. In my bed."

And the silence that ensued as he gazed into the Chairman's shocked eyes was absolutely... and profoundly... deafening.

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	24. Chap 10: Falling Part 3

**Author Notes: **…Part 3, and the longest one I've ever written, until it almost became a 4-parter. Enjoy…!

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The older man's eyes widened and he opened and shut his mouth at least half a dozen times with no words coming out. It was painfully obvious to Zero what he thought, though.

Zero stood there, unconsciously gripping the edge of the door once more until his knuckles showed white, butterflies multiplying crazily in his stomach. He felt unaccountably like he was about to be sentenced.

To death.

By an enraged father.

His own adopted one, no less.

Behind him, he could hear Yuuki trying very hard to creep out of bed as silently as she could. Well, it was too late for that now…

Zero turned his head slightly. "Yuuki…" he said, and heard her soft gasp. Turning around more fully, he saw the confused look of astonished betrayal in Yuuki's wide eyes as she moved up behind him, unconsciously still trying to avoid being seen by her adopted father. "Zero…?" she breathed.

Zero dipped his head for a moment. _I'm sorry, Yuuki… but it's not fair to you, and it's not fair to him…_

Then he lifted his head and hardened his voice. "Your Father's waiting, Yuuki."

Yuuki closed her eyes for a moment when she heard the tone in Zero's voice. He may have sounded uncaring, callous even… but she knew him too well too think of it as being anything other than a pretence. He was distancing himself, closing up, hiding behind his walls again. But the Chairman had shoved the door open now and even though the edge hit Zero rather painfully in the elbow, neither men said anything.

Yuuki looked up into the disbelieving eyes of her father. Even though she was fully clothed this time, which was better than the many occasions when she hadn't been, and in her own pyjamas, which was definitely better than Zero's sweater which she'd worn for a while last night, it was still enough for a somewhat guilty flush to creep up her cheeks.

She opened her mouth to say something, to alleviate the unfounded fears she could see swimming in the eyes of her father but he spoke first.

"Yuuki – go to your room. Now." his voice brooked no argument. Yuuki glanced sideways at Zero – he was staring at the wall beside him instead of at her. His entire body radiated a final sort of _distantness_… _remoteness_… as though he no longer considered himself a part of this family.

She turned back to face the Chairman. "Father?" her voice came out smaller than she'd intended. But it had the desired effect of getting him to look down at her.

Yuuki crammed her knuckles against her mouth and closed her eyes for a moment. She wanted to say so many things right there and then…

"Nothing happened" was at the top of the list. Followed most likely by "Zero was upset last night" and "We just slept together", then perhaps "We really didn't do anything!".

But although those phrases would cover _this _time, or at least the time after her shower last night, they couldn't cover the numerous other occasions they'd slept in each other's arms and the little _situations _that had occurred then. She knew she had to say something that would cover all the times, not just this one. And she only had one chance to stop the mounting anger and disbelief that was now sparking in her adopted father's eyes.

Struggling briefly with herself, Yuuki opened her eyes to glance once more at Zero's tense back before she looked back at her father. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she said simply "Father, no matter what Zero tells you… no matter what you think we did… I trust him."

Zero's body jerked a little at her words and she heard his sharp indrawn breath but her gentle gaze stayed on her father's. _Believe me… Zero would rather die than break my trust or harm me in any way_… her large eyes silently beseeched him.

"I trust Zero. Always…" she said, speaking past the sudden lump in her throat, her voice hardly above a whisper. Then she turned and slipped past both of them. The Chairman watched until Yuuki had unlocked her door and slipped inside. Her door closed with a very soft click.

There was another moment of silence before the Chairman turned to look at Zero, who was still staring silently at the wall. "I'll be waiting in my study. Come over when you've had your breakfast" he told Zero before stalking off.

Zero swallowed painfully, then bent forward to lean his forehead and palms on the cool surface of the wall he'd been staring at. Well, he'd done it for sure this time. He'd gotten himself in trouble and he'd gotten Yuuki in trouble too, despite the fact she was always and forever only trying to help him. _Take away ten – no, a hundred points from Zero and give them to Kuran_… At this rate, the pureblood must be close to the finish line in the race to win Yuuki's heart by now, he thought bitterly. The pureblood had, to his credit, never been in Yuuki's bed as far as he knew…

Many gut wrenching minutes later, Zero straightened up with a sigh. He wasn't going to bother with breakfast - his churning stomach would have refused anything right now anyway. He brushed his teeth, got dressed then left his room. Yuuki's room door was still closed but he just gave it a glance before forcing himself to walk down the corridor towards the Chairman's study.

A mirthless smile twisted Zero's lips. Was he going to be expelled from Cross Academy? Was he going to be chased out from this place, which was also his home? Perhaps the Chairman would just tell him to go back to his room, get his Bloody Rose gun and end his worthless, miserable and pathetic life. In the bathroom if you please - bathtub preferably - so that the resultant mess wouldn't be too difficult to clean up …

Zero didn't even realised his thoughts had blown somewhat out of proportion, nor did he make any allowances that this mess could quite easily be straightened out with a rational and mature discussion between him and his adopted father. He wasn't conscious of the fact that he was building walls around himself again, stacking the bricks of denial and guilt hastily and carelessly.

Perhaps unconsciously he knew there was no way his pride would allow him to explain his actions, that he was already reverting to the sullen and defensive person he'd been when he'd first been brought here. Brought here and enveloped in the unconditional loving warmth of a family, with a kindly (if sometimes silly and a little irritating) father figure, and a loving and generous (if sometimes pushy and determined) sister. And he'd grown up with them, found himself a part of that love and warmth… and somehow, cleverly managed to ruin it all.

Zero found himself standing outside the Chairman's study without knowing how he'd gotten there and he actually raised a hand to knock on the heavy wooden door before realising it was already wide open. The older man was sitting behind his desk, obviously waiting for him. His face was unsmiling, stern. It was a complete departure from the normal cheerful, slightly scatterbrained one Zero was used to, and his heart sank from rock bottom to… well, whatever was lower than that.

"Sit down, Zero" said the Chairman, gesturing to the chair opposite him. Zero's gaze slid away as he walked to the chair and sat down.

Another awkward silence fell. Zero was gazing fixedly at the wall on his right as if it was superimposed with the most interesting art in the world, his arms folded across his chest.

The Chairman rested his chin on his clasped hands, his eyes drawn to the flowered tattoo high up on Zero's neck. He'd been full of righteous protective fatherly anger just now when he'd heard Zero's words and saw with his own eyes the guilty flush on Yuuki's face. But in the short space of time between then and now, he'd had time to think a bit. Think about how much of that anger was actually just envy at the closeness between Zero and Yuuki. Think about Yuuki, his gentle princess, and how much she meant to him and to Zero. Think about how much she loved both of them with all of her generous if sometimes still child-like heart. Think about how much Zero loved Yuuki in return, although he was beginning to suspect not entirely in the same way. Think about how he loved them both, from the moment he'd brought them to his home and thought of them as his own. Yes, even Zero - this angry and tortured young man sitting in front of him who was again hiding behind that expressionless face and unreadable eyes. And most of all… think about what to say to Zero now because no matter what, he was a part of his life. They both were his family.

Zero was still grimly staring at the wall and the tightly clenched jaw told the older man he wasn't going to say anything. He wasn't going to explain his actions, he wasn't going to defend himself. He looked like he fully expected the worst sort of punishment.

The Chairman sighed. "Is this the first time Yuuki slept in your bed?" he asked.

Zero's jaw clenched tighter but he didn't turn his head. "Yes" he said.

Something about the way he said that jogged the older man's memory. About a couple of mornings when he'd knocked on Yuuki's door and she'd sounded flustered. Agitated even…

"What about you sleeping in Yuuki's bed?"

Zero swallowed. He was being inquisitioned, no doubt about it. "Twice" he bit out.

The Chairman's eyebrows shot up. How long had this been going on?

Zero turned to look at him with bleak amethyst eyes. "It's not Yuuki's fault, it's mine. Don't – don't be angry with her…" he swallowed a sudden lump in his throat before turning to stare at the wall again, ignoring the sudden tightness in his throat and the heat creeping up his face.

The older man shook his head, then realised Zero didn't see that. He sighed again. "Zero, would you please look at me, there's nothing on that wall…"

Zero complied silently.

The Chairman phrased his next question carefully. "Is it because those were the times you drank her blood?"

Zero started to nod his head, changed his mind then shook it instead. He did drink from her during one of those times but he might as well be thoroughly honest about it… and it wasn't as though holding back would make a difference now.

The Chairman's lifted eyebrow caused Zero to flush anew, feeling miserably guilty. "Sort of…" he muttered, looking down again. _Drank her blood and more… _he thought.

The older man hesitated. "Zero, Yuuki is the most precious thing to me" he said in a slightly softened tone. "The last thing I want is for her to get hurt …"

Zero's head jerked up. "I would never hurt her. Never." he spoke vehemently. Didn't the Chairman already know that? he thought angrily. Even if he weren't in love with Yuuki, even if he really only thought of her as a younger sister, he would _never _hurt her. His eyes flashed with pain at the fact that the Chairman actually believed him capable of it.

"I know… I know" said the older man softly. Then, as Zero looked very slightly mollified at this, he added "And I'm not angry with Yuuki. I know how much she loves you, how much she wants to help you" He uttered a heavy sigh. "And… I'm not even really angry with you… somehow." A somewhat rueful smile appeared on his face as he stared at an astounded Zero.

Something hung in the silence – it was a "but" just screaming to be heard at the end of that sentence. So Zero asked it for both of them. "But?"

The older man sighed. "But I don't want it to happen again."

Zero glared heatedly at him. "_Nothing _happened" he said. Steadily. Evenly. Ignoring the damning heat he could feel washing over his cheeks again because he knew what he said wasn't one hundred percent accurate.

The Chairman couldn't help a rush of relief that it wasn't as serious as he'd initially thought even though the blush on Zero's face also told him it wasn't completely nothing either. He held up his hands, as though warding off the searing heat radiating out from Zero's eyes.

"OK, OK, point taken… " Then, as Zero relaxed slightly, he added quietly "But what if something did get out of hand? Zero, you're a boy. Almost a man. And Yuuki… she's still a child sometimes. You'd be responsible for that… that… breach of trust Yuuki has in you."

Zero swallowed; the meaning behind the Chairman's words were crystal clear. Would he do that? Would he go that far? He wanted to for sure, but only if she… suddenly, he didn't know. Zero forced a laugh that sounded completely mirthless, even to his own ears.

"Don't worry. Yuuki… doesn't see me that way" he grated, his throat closing even tighter with pain. The Chairman had nothing to fear on _that _score.

There was a sudden pause as both the Chairman and Zero realised the latter had practically confessed his innermost secret. Colour draining suddenly from his face, Zero looked as if he would have liked to bite his own tongue. Despite his surprise at this rather unexpected confirmation of what he'd already begun to suspect since the night of Yuuki's nightmare, the Chairman couldn't help but smile a little at the horrified look on Zero's face.

"Uh… I mean…" Zero trailed off and muttered a curse under his breath. _Oh God…_

As the embarrassing pause lengthened, Zero looked up hesitantly, surprised to see the Chairman smiling a little. "Well, it's hard not to love her…" he said. "We all do…"

The amethyst eyes widened in shock.

"Besides, Yuuki doesn't know herself yet… so we shouldn't either" said the older man next, causing Zero's mouth to actually drop open for a moment.

Then the Chairman sighed again and stood up. "Well… I should go check on her. You go ahead and have your breakfast and change into your uniform, otherwise you'll be late for class."

Zero sat there, frozen to the spot. Stunned. "That's it?" he asked, his tone as disbelieving as the look on his face.

The older man shrugged. "What did you expect?" he asked, looking a little surprised.

Zero made a vague gesture with his hand, stopped, then ran it shakily through his hair. "I thought…" he muttered, then broke off.

"You thought what? That I'd chase you out of here?" said the Chairman, smiling once more at the look of surprised chagrin on Zero's face mixed with disbelief that he wasn't about to face the firing squad. Dawning relief appeared next.

"But – "

The look of intense relief disappeared as Zero's expression became guarded once more. He didn't quite like the sound of this 'but'.

"But you had best drink from me from now on…" finished the Chairman. He didn't miss the sudden and intent look of mingled dismay and disappointment in Zero's eyes before he glanced away. _Not ever drink from Yuuki again…? Only from the Chairman? _Zero pressed his lips together to keep from grimacing. He should be grateful, it was more than he'd expected, wasn't it? After all, the Chairman had offered him his own blood. And he still had a home here, he could still see Yuuki, talk to her, be with her, protect her…

He didn't see the older man smiling a little before he sobered up. Reaching out, he squeezed Zero's shoulder. "You're a good boy, Zero" he said softly. "I don't want you to go…"

Zero looked up into his adopted father's careworn eyes, seeing the understanding and love there. He knew he didn't _have _anywhere else to go. Once again, the sudden inexplicable urge to throw his arms around the older man threatened to overwhelm him.

"Father…" Zero stopped, unable to say more. He settled for placing his hand over the hand on his shoulder and giving it a brief hard squeeze in return. Then, he shot up from the chair and practically fled the room before the older man could see the humiliating weakness that filled his eyes.

- o -

Yuuki had already gotten dressed in her school uniform and was sitting on her bed, hugging her knees, gazing at her blanket but not seeing anything. In a way, she was glad her father knew. It was rather worrying and stressful always having to tip toe around him even if she suspected he already knew Zero drank her blood.

And she always somehow felt a little guilty that she was keeping _something _from the Chairman. She owed him so much; he'd taken her in when she didn't have a family to look after her, when she didn't even know who she was. And he'd not only taken care of her, he'd adopted her and given her his name and protection. And a home and education and as much fatherly love as she could have wished. And if she never felt a mother's love, the Chairman was sometimes that well. A small smile tugged at her lips at the memories of how irrepressible her father could be. And she also had Kaname-sempai and Zero watching over her, beside her, as she grew up. Kaname, whenever he could spare time from his busy life and the responsibilities that came with being a pureblood. Zero, everyday for the past four years… when he wasn't hiding from her in one of his sullen moods.

Yuuki's smile faded. Zero… She prayed her father would see it the way she did – see _him _the way she did. She trusted Zero implicitly. Even though sometimes…

Yuuki caught at her lower lip again. Even though sometimes, Zero behaved in a less than brotherly fashion towards her. She supposed it must be somewhat normal for a healthy teenage boy… After all, look at Aido – that playboy vampire seemed to live for the moments when the Moon Dorm gates opened to a horde of screaming Day Class girls…

But she treasured the quiet moments when Zero took from her what he needed. What she was willing to give him. The moments of perfect silence when he would hold her in her arms, making her feel cherished, protected and loved. Somehow, she just couldn't picture those moments if the Chairman were to insist that all future blood drinking took place only in his presence. Like in his study for example… A wry smile twisted Yuuki's lips as she wondered how willing would Zero be to drink from her neck right in front of the Chairman's watchful eyes… He'd probably only take from her wrist then… Another memory arose now, causing her smile to surface before fading once more. And he wouldn't ever be able to clean her fingers the way he liked to. And she knew he liked that very much indeed. If she were completely honest with herself, she'd admit that she liked that too.

Still…

The knock on her door startled Yuuki out of her confused musings. "Come in, Father" she called but didn't move from her bed. She looked up as the Chairman opened the door and walked into her room. She tried a smile but it wasn't a very successful one although she was very relieved not to see any anger on his face.

The Chairman sat down on the edge of her bed. Before he could say anything, Yuuki asked "Father, what did you say – or do – to Zero?"

He frowned a little and peered at her over his glasses. "What do you think I did?" he asked a little exasperatedly. "Chase him out of Cross Academy, waving a shotgun?" Yuuki's smile was genuine this time. She even gave a watery giggle at the mental picture his words invoked.

The Chairman regarded her silently for a moment. "I trust Zero too, Yuuki" he continued in a more gentle tone. Then, as Yuuki's eyes widened slightly in surprise, he continued "But perhaps… it's best if he drinks only from me from now on."

Yuuki blinked even though she had suspected it. "You know about… about Zero and – and I - " she asked, faltering a little.

"Yes, I know" her father said a little dryly. _And have known for some time actually… _he thought inwardly.

Then Yuuki recalled his actual words and her eyes widened. "Drink… your blood?" she whispered, eyes wide.

The Chairman looked slightly irritated. "Is it so hard to believe that I would give my own blood to Zero? To my own son?" he asked in that aggrieved tone Yuuki knew so well.

Almost automatically, she started to shake her head but her father ranted on. "Oh, I know my blood isn't as sweet as yours, Yuuki. But I don't think there's anything wrong with it either, do you?" His eyes dared Yuuki to say anything other than agree with him.

"No, no, of course not…" she murmured placatingly, distractedly wondering what Zero would say to this surprising turn of events. Even assuming he agreed… she didn't realise she had tuned out her father's further words and she didn't realised he had stopped talking and was now looking at her intently.

"Yuuki…"

Yuuki started, then shot a guilty look at him. Oh dear, how much had she missed? Was it her cue to say something now?

"How do you feel about Zero drinking your blood?"

Yuuki's blush intensified - this was the first time they'd actually discussed Zero's 'problem' without him being there, and she wondered what to say. "Er… I – I don't mind…" she finally stammered. "I – I mean, I'm helping him, right…" she trailed off under the rather knowing gaze of her father.

"Just don't mind?" he asked.

Yuuki hesitated, staring at her bedsheet, cheeks flaming by now. This had to be, without a doubt, the strangest conversation she'd ever had with the Chairman, and she wasn't at all sure how to proceed. She wanted to answer him honestly – she'd never kept any secrets from her father before. He even knew about her infatuation with Kaname-sempai. In fact, the only things she'd kept from him were Zero drinking her blood… and the fact that they'd kissed… But at the same time, she didn't want to make things worse.

The Chairman lost track of how many times he'd sighed this morning. "I doubt Zero will be any more enthusiastic about taking my blood than you are at him not taking yours…" he said dryly. Yuuki bit her lip – was it that obvious? She peeped up at him, surprised to see the resigned and slightly amused look on his face as he looked at her.

After a moment, he got off the bed. "Well, I'll just be a backup then… But, Yuuki, make sure he doesn't take too much each time, or you'll get dizzy…"

Yuuki's mouth fell open. "Father…" she breathed. "Are – are you saying…?"

The Chairman continued walking to the door. As he reached for the doorknob, he hesitated a moment, then turned to look at her.

"But no more locked doors, Yuuki… and no more sleeping in each other's beds…" he eyed her sternly for a moment, seeing the sudden chagrin that threatened to wipe out the astonishment in the wide chocolate eyes. He turned to open the door.

"Father!" The Chairman had barely turned around when something ran full tilt into him. Yuuki flung her arms around her father's waist, hugging him tightly for a moment. Then she pulled away to look up into his face. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears but she smiled happily. "Thank you" she said simply.

The Chairman sniffed, trying to look as unaffected as possible. "Don't know what you're thanking me for… it's Zero who should be grateful…"

Yuuki blinked hard, then smiled again. "He is, Father… I know he is" she said softly. She inhaled when she felt her father's gentle hand on the top of her head for a moment, the way he used to when she was much younger. Then he turned and left.

Yuuki stood there for several minutes, almost unable to take it all in. He knew… he knew what they'd been doing… probably much earlier than this morning… and it was OK… it was somehow astoundingly unbelievably OK… Well, except for the sleeping bit… she shook her head – that wasn't important… well it was but still… A happy grin lit her face again. They were probably horrendously late for class… they would probably get detention for a week… they hadn't even had breakfast… and she wanted to see the look on Zero's face. Now.

Still barefooted, Yuuki flew down the corridor and into the dining room, skidding to a stop at the entrance to the kitchen and clinging onto the door jamb to keep her balance. Zero was in the kitchen, sitting at the table in his usual seat with his back towards the door, a sandwich in his hand. He turned his head to look at her when she appeared, still chewing. Then he looked down into his mug of coffee. And Yuuki was suddenly and extremely inexplicably furious.

"Ow!" A punch landed on his arm. Zero looked up in alarm as Yuuki started pummelling him hard with her small fists. He'd gotten them before but not so many and all at once. And for all her petite size, Yuuki's punches actually _hurt_. He threw up his arms, warding off the blows. "Ow, hey, stop that! Stop…!" He tried to catch her flailing fists one handed but failed. "Yuuki, have you gone crazy?!"

"Zero… you… jerk!" panted Yuuki between punches, before finally stopping to catch her breath. Angry tears shone in her eyes.

Zero stared at her. Was she angry because he'd told the Chairman she was in his room? "I'm sorry, I - "

"I thought you didn't like us anymore… that you didn't want to stay with Father and me anymore…" Yuuki interrupted accusingly.

Zero inhaled sharply. "No! No, I never said that…" He looked astounded at this. "Yuuki, I – I just…" he broke off, shrugging helplessly, not knowing how to continue. Sighing, he dropped his sandwich back onto the table.

Yuuki glared at him again. "Thanks to you, we can't – we can't – " she broke off, aghast that she'd almost blurted out the fact that she was actually disappointed they couldn't sleep together anymore. _Sleep_, she meant of course, and not… not anything else…

Zero misunderstood her. "Well…" he hesitated. "I guess you'll be free of fainting spells from now on" he said, trying for sarcasm but not really succeeding. Yuuki raised her eyebrows in surprise.

He glanced away then added tonelessly "I'll have to drink Father's blood from now on…", feeling a sharp twinge of disappointment twisting in his gut. He made a small grimace of disgust, wondering how it would feel to drink from his father's neck instead of Yuuki's. Ahh… Yuuki's neck. Her irresistibly sweet scent. Her creamy soft skin and her enticing curves. The way she threaded her fingers through his hair, holding his head to her neck… the way she trustingly leaned against him in his arms after that…

Yuuki was staring at him. One part of her mind acknowledged the surprising fact that Zero had called the Chairman 'Father' without realising it, the other part registered the fact that Zero didn't know what her Father had said to her. That Zero thought he could no longer come to her for… "Did Father tell you that?" she asked.

"Yeah…" he said rather bleakly, staring at the table.

There was a pause.

Then a soft laugh sounded and Zero's head jerked up, his eyes narrowing. Well, someone was happy not to be a blood donor anymore… and he felt the knife in his gut twist again.

Yuuki saw his look and laughed again, shaking her head at him.

Something in Yuuki's impishly sparkling eyes… those beautiful wide eyes that could never hide what she was thinking… a small frisson of hope blossomed in Zero's heart. "Why, what did he tell you?" he asked. Then, as Yuuki didn't say anything beyond giving another merry peal of laughter, he twisted in his seat to face her fully and reached out, holding her upper arms.

He shook her slightly. "Tell me!" he demanded. Yuuki laughed harder, still shaking her head.

"Tell me, Yuuki!" groaned Zero, torn between wildly surging hope and absolute disappointment.

Yuuki finally stopped laughing. "Just… not to drain me too much each time, that's all…" she confessed, smiling through sudden tears.

Zero's mouth fell open. "He said that?" he asked, stunned. Yuuki nodded, enjoying the look on Zero's face. After a moment, he let go of her arms to push his hands through his hair. "I can't believe it…" he murmured almost to himself. Then he looked up at Yuuki again. "Did you ask him to let me…let me…" he drifted off.

"No, I didn't" said Yuuki, now enjoying herself hugely.

Zero swallowed hard, then gave a rather disbelieving laugh. He half stood up, reaching for Yuuki again, but familiar footsteps were approaching the kitchen and there was no time now to do what he actually wanted to do. Yuuki had heard them as well. She reached for the loaf of bread but they both looked up when the Chairman entered the kitchen.

"What, still here?" he asked mildly. "You two are late for class as it is…" His shrewd eyes didn't miss the fact that Yuuki was smiling happily and Zero was looking astounded as if he'd just only received a very good piece of news. The Chairman's words caused both of them to start eating at top speed, Yuuki for once eating without speaking.

The Chairman waited for a moment then he delivered another piece of good news, feeling unexpectedly benevolent at this moment, after the rather stormy episode a few minutes earlier. "I've just been to see your teachers, they will excuse you if you are on time for your next class in…" he checked his watch "… 15 minutes." He didn't wait for a reply before walking off.

Yuuki and Zero stared at his back, then at each other. Zero's gaze was intent, and Yuuki looked down, suddenly shy of meeting his gaze. She knew what he was on the verge of doing just now, if the Chairman hadn't walked in. They cleared up then walked back to their respective rooms.

Zero paused outside his door. "Yuuki…"

She glanced at him.

"I'm going to shower, wait for me?" he asked.

Yuuki smiled. "Of course" she said. Zero didn't smile this time but his eyes did, and it was enough.

Yuuki hummed to herself as she took her time running a comb through her hair and pulling on her socks and shoes. Then she left her room and leaned against the wall to wait for Zero, he was already back in his room. Barely a minute later, he opened his door and stepped out, pulling on his jacket, silver hair damp from the shower.

They started walking back down the corridor, Zero pushing the knot in his tie snugly against his collar. Halfway, he stopped and held her arm.

"Yuuki…" he said. There was a tender longing in that low voice and Yuuki couldn't help the soft blush that crept up her cheeks again. "Yes…?" she whispered, turning to face him.

Zero pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. "I wanted to do this just now…" he confessed, leaning down to bury his face in her hair and inhaling deeply.

Yuuki smiled and wrapped her own arms around him, under his jacket. She pressed her cheek against his shirt, loving the sound of his heartbeat next to her ear. "I know" she said softly.

They stood there in silence until the bell rang to signal the next class then they broke apart reluctantly.

"Let's go…"

"Yeah…"

Zero held Yuuki's hand as they ran out of the main building and down the path to their classrooms, letting go only when they reached the classrooms.

---------------------------------------- End ----------------------------------------


	25. Chap 11: You Don't Hold Me Anymore

**Author Notes: **I actually wanted to work on another almost completed chapter, but this one flowed out from my fingers instead. You could say it's almost a Part 4 of 'Falling', because there was another thead hanging loose from the end of Part 3… In any case, I'm so glad you all thought the Chairman was cool, I did too! _–hugs him, but only a little-_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the fabulous manga or characters… but if I did, it would end '…And they all lived happily ever after…'!

---------------------------------------- Start ----------------------------------------

It had been a rainy afternoon, and although the heavy rain had stopped by the time the last class ended, the evening was cold. The Day Class girls seemed rather subdued during class changeover as they waited loyally outside the Moon Dorm gates to catch a glimpse of the gorgeous Night Class students in their white uniforms, a mirror image contrast to the black of the Day Class uniforms.

The dreary weather also caused Hanabusa Aido the playboy vampire, to be less enthusiastic than usual about meeting his fan base, giving them a sleepy smile and a rather languid wave of his hand instead of his usual shower of exaggerated and lavish compliments.

Yuuki couldn't help but smile a little at that rather lukewarm greeting as the tousle haired blond gave a barely suppressed yawn. She glanced at the tall silver haired boy beside her to see if he'd noticed but Zero was turned the other way, his hands shoved deep in his pants pockets. She only had to glance in public at his stance to know that his habitual frown was firmly in place. He'd always been quiet – when he wasn't yelling at the Day Class girls, that is - but increasingly less so in her presence. However, since the Chairman had found out about their 'sleeping arrangements' last week, he seemed to have regressed to the taciturn and sullen person he'd been.

After the Night Class students had safely made it to their classrooms, and the gaggle of awe-struck Day Class students had returned to their dorms, the two Class Prefects walked back to the main building to have their dinner. Zero was still silent as they walked, kicking a small stone along the path with utmost concentration while Yuuki folded her arms across her chest. There seemed to be something Zero was thinking about but she refrained from asking, for once, a little apprehensive it might actually be something to do with her.

- o -

Yuuki again folded her arms as she walked beside Zero, gravel crunching beneath their sneakers in the quiet night. It was now a couple of hours after the Night Class had started their lessons. The two prefects had just had their dinner half an hour ago, in which Chairman Cross had managed to surprise them again with yet another version of his signature 'liver and vegetable' dish. Although it was admittedly better than last month's version, in which he'd added a big spoonful of sugar in a fit of inspired creativity, the dish still required all of Yuuki's and Zero's willpower not to say a single negative comment.

Yuuki sighed softly without realising it. Zero glanced sideways at her but stayed silent. He could read Yuuki pretty well by now and this was one of her 'I'm sighing without any real reason behind it' sighs, as opposed to her more worrying 'I'm sighing with a valid reason so get ready to talk' one.

The Night Class lessons were in progress, which accounted for the still brightly-lit classrooms. Yuuki couldn't resist a glance or two at the windows, catching sight of the tall elegant figure of Moon Dorm Leader Kaname Kuran as they walked past the classrooms towards the building at the back. It also housed classrooms but was normally deserted at nights, since the Night Class had fewer students compared to the Day Class. Still, it was part of their patrol route in case any of the elite vampires had decided to carry off a Day Class girl for some flirting and fresh blood…

Her glances at the Night Class students didn't elicit any response from Zero either and Yuuki pursed her lips a little. She'd have welcomed a bit of bantering right now - the silence was starting to get a little oppressive. But she didn't know how to start a conversation at this very moment, and her usual chatter seemed to have suddenly deserted her.

Yuuki and Zero climbed the stairs to the third and topmost floor then stopped there, her breathing was a little faster than usual after the exercise, Zero's still even.

Yuuki moved towards the balcony, shivering as the wind picked up. She leaned her arms on the wrought iron railing and looked out at the sprawling school grounds. Both she and Zero were now wearing jeans and windbreakers over thick T-shirts after their respective showers but she was still cold.

"Yuuki, if you're cold, why are you still standing in the wind?" came Zero's voice from behind her, sounding a little irritable at her apparent lack of logical sense.

"Hmm?" Yuuki had tilted her head up to watch the stars in the clear night sky and she turned back to face him now, glad he'd finally said something and not taking any offense at his tone - she was too used to it by now. "I'm just looking at the stars" she replied.

"Well, you can see them just as well from here" pointed out Zero, patting the cemented step on which he was now sitting. "Come sit down here…"

Yuuki walked over and sank down beside him, which was actually where Zero wanted her to be. Beside him. By his side. For always. Her sweetly intoxicating scent teased his senses and he longed to inch closer to her. She didn't say anything as she looked sideways at him, still shivering a little. Her sudden soft exhalation told Zero it was the second type of sigh now, but he didn't still say anything.

Yuuki was trying to catch Zero's eye. Not only had he been quieter than usual these past week, he'd also been a little… remote… when it came to touching her. In fact, when Zero had drunk her blood in her room last week, he'd been pretty self-conscious about it. By tacit agreement, they had left her room door slightly ajar (in case the Chairman decided to take another look) and both were fully clothed the entire time. But she knew Zero had been eyeing the door the entire time he drank from her neck. He'd put a casual hand on her shoulder, but nothing more than that. Not a hand threaded through her hair to tilt her head to the side, not a hand around her back to hold her close to him, not an arm clasped around her waist to steady her, _nothing_. Not that she was _disappointed _or anything…

She could also sense Zero's body was as tense as hers had been as though afraid Chairman Cross would walk in on them halfway. They needn't have been actually; their father had given a rather broad hint that he rather expected Zero to take from Yuuki that night.

"Well, dinner will be ready in half an hour…" he'd said while they were in his study, completing their homework. Actually, Zero had already completed his and was tutoring Yuuki in algebra. "Why don't you take your books to your rooms and shower or something…" he'd added vaguely before shuffling off towards the kitchen.

Yuuki had caught Zero's raised eyebrow and she had to smile, remembering the disbelieving look on his face in the kitchen last week, when he'd finally realised the Chairman had told Yuuki he could continue to drink her blood. That look had turned to a wondering sort of amazement that had warmed her heart.

But when he drank her blood a few minutes later, he'd done so hurriedly. Guiltily, almost… And he'd licked off the remaining drops of blood from her neck with almost indecent speed, giving her a quick squeeze on her shoulder and a whispered "Thanks" before going off to his room. Yuuki was left to stare at her still open door in somewhat hurt surprise, her hand going up to clasp her shoulder where he had squeezed a moment earlier.

"Sure…" she whispered, disappointed that he hadn't held her any closer and had completely forgotten to hug her after that. She bit her lip. That session had felt so… _impersonal_… even _transactional_… and that had… hurt…

Zero knew that Yuuki was cold, he could feel her slender body shivering as she unconsciously pressed a little closer to him. But he didn't move a muscle. Even though he wanted to. Even though he ached to put his arm around her shoulder and pull her closer to his warmth. Even though he longed to bury his face in her hair and inhale her scent deeply.

Yuuki frowned a little. Zero knew she was cold since he'd just told her get out of the wind so why wasn't he holding her close they way he used to? She inched closer to him. Zero didn't move. Yuuki leaned against his arm.

"Zero?"

A pause. Then "Hmm?"

"I'm cold" she whispered, unfolding her arms to blow on her frozen fingers.

"Go back in then, I'll cover the rest of the route myself" Zero's voice was wooden and he continued staring straight ahead. Yuuki glared at him for a moment. "That's _not _what I meant" she said flatly.

Zero glanced down at her, his jaw clenched. "Oh?" He knew very well what she meant all right. He started to unzip his windbreaker. "Well, put this on then…"

"No, Zero!"

Zero paused, his lean fingers still on the zipper as he looked straight ahead again. Don't say it, Yuuki… he thought. Don't make this anymore difficult for me…

"You could – you could put your arm around me…" said Yuuki softly, still looking at him.

Zero closed his eyes, exhaling. He should've known she would say it… Then he turned to look at her, his lips twisting ruefully at the silent pleading in her wide brown eyes.

"Yuuki – do you think I haven't thought of that? Do you think I don't want to?" he asked, his gaze intent on hers.

Yuuki's breath caught at the ache in his low voice. "Then why don't you…" she murmured, even though she knew she shouldn't.

"Because!" Did she still need to ask? he thought disbelievingly.

"It's just your arm" muttered Yuuki a little defensively. "Father won't mind, I'm sure…"

Zero shut his eyes and pressed his palms against his closed lids. Yes, the Chairman wouldn't mind - if it was just a brotherly arm. But _he _would. Because he would want more after putting his arm around Yuuki. He would want to pull her closer to him, feel her soft curves pressed against his body, breathe in the scent of her hair and maybe steal a kiss or two. Or maybe more… no, definitely more. He inhaled deeply, smelling her soft sweet scent mingled with the muskier scent of her menses. It made his jaw ache ever so slightly…

Yuuki probably – no, most likely – didn't realise that. Zero opened his eyes to look down at her. She had pursed her lips rather mutinously now and he could tell she was gearing up for an argument.

He exhaled, giving in. "All right…" he started to put his arm around her but Yuuki shrugged it off. Tossing her head, she got up suddenly and walked back to the balcony, leaning with her back against it as she folded her arms across her chest.

Zero stared at her. "What was that - " he started.

Yuuki tossed her head again, auburn strands swinging around her face. "Don't do it if you don't feel like it" she threw at him before staring pointedly at the pillar beside her. She was damned if she'd allow him to put an arm around her only because _she _wanted it…

Zero exhaled exasperatedly. "Yuuki, I didn't say I didn't want to" he said.

Yuuki continued to glare at the pillar, now feeling a little embarrassed at her outburst.

Something twisted in Zero's chest. "Look… I want to, OK? I want to put my arms around you. Very much. Too _damn _much, in fact!" It was now his turn to glare at her. He'd have thought she'd have realised at least _that _much by now…

Yuuki looked at him. "Then why don't you?" she asked. Her voice quivered a little and she quickly looked back at the pillar.

Zero gave a small rather mirthless laugh, shaking his head. He looked down at the cemented floor. "Because I don't think I would be able to do that, and not want to do… other… things…" he muttered.

Another silence.

Zero glanced up. Yuuki's eyes were huge, her lips parted as she stared at him.

He sighed. "Never mind, come here" he said, reaching out his right hand.

Yuuki didn't move.

"Come here, Yuuki" he repeated, still holding out his hand.

Slowly, she walked back to him. He caught her left hand and tugged her down onto the step beside him. Yuuki was staring straight ahead and he could feel her slightly agitated breathing.

"Never mind, it's OK…" said Zero, placing his right arm around her shoulders and drawing her close to him. Yuuki's body was tense and Zero withdrew his arm to quickly unzip his windbreaker. He wrapped his windbreaker and his arms around her, trapping her cold hands within the warm folds of the fabric.

Yuuki hesitated a moment longer, then she relaxed and leaned back against him. After a moment, she turned to press her face into his shirt, inhaling deeply. Zero smiled a little in spite of himself - did he honestly smell _that _good?

His soft sigh ruffled her hair. "Yuuki, surely you can't think I don't want to hold you…" he murmured, half teasingly, half exasperatedly. Yuuki shifted a little, still feeling rather silly at how she had blown up at him. It wasn't really Zero's fault, and it wasn't as if they were a _couple _or anything like that… She just… liked him to… hold her, that was all.

"Then why didn't you - " she began, then broke off, exhaling loudly. This was going to sound even more embarrassing. She peeped up at Zero. He was looking down at her and she could tell he knew what she wanted to ask.

"Why didn't I hold you after taking from you last week?" he asked softly.

Yuuki blushed then she nodded. "Yeah…" she whispered back.

"You know why, Yuuki. Father could have stepped in at any time."

Yuuki bit her lip. Yes, she knew. But it just felt so good to be in Zero's warm arms, making her feel like he appreciated her gift.

"It just felt so… different when you didn't…" she admitted softly. "As if… as if – " she broke off, not knowing how to continue.

"As if I didn't care?" came Zero's voice, in a hushed whisper.

Yuuki nodded abruptly, still feeling the small stab of hurt that Zero had seemed so… eager… to get away from her as soon as he'd finished. She gave a small sniff then peeped up at him again.

Zero sighed again then leaned down to touch his forehead to hers. "Would it make you feel any better if I said I wanted to, even more than you?" he asked.

Yuuki looked back into his eyes. "It would. So say it."

Zero had to smile a little – he'd asked for that one, all right…

Then he raised his head, closed his eyes for a moment and blew out a sigh. "OK Yuuki, I wanted to hold you then. I wanted to hold you after drinking from your neck. I always want to hold you, even without drinking your blood. OK? Satisfied?" His voice sounded a little annoyed on the last word, because he could feel the heat creeping up his face again.

Yuuki giggled softly, sensing he was a little embarrassed. Then she snuggled against him again. "And I always want you to…" she said softly.

Zero shifted a little. It probably wasn't a good idea to talk about his bloodlust because his chest was starting to clench tightly. And Yuuki leaning against him trustingly wasn't helping either. Quickly, he withdrew his arm. "C'mon, let's go back, things are quiet tonight…"

Yuuki looked a bit surprised, she was very comfortable where she was, and just only starting to feel cosy and warm again… But Zero had stood up and he reached down to pull her up as well, stifling a groan. His jaw was starting to ache in earnest now and it was getting hard to breathe around the bands tightening around his chest. Great…

They were both quiet as they walked back to the main building but Yuuki's heart was feeling much lighter. Zero had shoved his hands in his pockets, still staring down the whole time. After a moment, Yuuki became aware of Zero's increasingly ragged breathing.

Walking down the corridor leading to their rooms, Yuuki stopped. "Zero?" her voice was soft. "You need blood, don't you?"

He looked into her gentle eyes. He didn't need to say anything, Yuuki could see the crimson hue in his eyes.

She looked around, knowing that the Chairman was busy in his study – he'd muttered something about having to complete a report for submission tomorrow. Did that mean… she glanced back at Zero, then nodded at the main bathroom.

"Come on, in here" Yuuki caught Zero's hand and pulled him into the bathroom.

He followed unresisting, hoping the Chairman had already answered nature's call and wouldn't need to do so again, at least for the next half hour or so…

Yuuki unzipped her windbreaker hurriedly and shrugged it off; Zero did the same. As they both tossed them down onto the wooden bench that stood next to the bathtub, they paused. Their actions had seemed uncomfortably like… stripping… and Yuuki quickly turned around. "I'm going to get changed, back in a moment…" Without waiting for his reply, she escaped to her room and swapped her T-shirt for one of her tank tops before hurrying back to the bathroom. Zero was leaning against the wall, trying to breathe evenly, his fangs elongating rapidly in anticipation.

Yuuki stepped into the bathroom once more and closed the door, resisting the sudden and instinctive urge to lock it. "OK" she whispered, her wide eyes looking up at Zero as he approached her, backing her against the tiled wall. "I'll hold you this time, Yuuki" he promised softly, staring at her a moment longer before bending down to her neck. Yuuki smiled, tilting her head to the side to grant him better access.

"Me too" she whispered, feeling Zero's arms close around her as he licked the base of her neck. She wrapped her own arms around his waist, feeling the twin pricks as he tenderly pierced her skin. His warm lips made her shiver as her blood spilled into his mouth and he swallowed the warm intoxicating liquid. Yuuki held him as tightly as she could, feeling his arms around her do the same. Ahh, _this _was what had been missing the last time… _this _was what she wanted to feel…

Zero groaned deep in his throat. Yuuki's own sweet scent mixed with the intoxicating smell of her blood filled his senses… he would never tire of the way she smelled up close, the way she tasted against his mouth and on his tongue, and the way she felt pressed close to him.

Zero's hand slid out of the silky auburn strands to curve around her slender shoulders and his other hand tightened around the back of her waist, pulling her flush against his body. He pressed even closer, pinning her against the wall, oblivious now of anything that wasn't Yuuki.

Yuuki inhaled shakily. Pressed up so close against him, she could hear quite a lot of things – his laboured and harsh breathing next to her ear, the raspy sounds he made as he sucked her blood into his mouth and the hungry swallowing noises deep in his throat. She could also feel quite a lot of things – his strong arm around her shoulders, his silvery hair now tickling her neck, his hot breath against her sensitive skin… And, as his other hand jerked her forward against him, she felt something else that made her heartbeat go into triple time. Something that pressed against her. He wasn't making any attempt to hide it either… she realised somewhat distractedly after a moment. If anything, he was pressing even closer, trapping her against the wall.

"Zero?" she said, releasing his shoulders and trying to work her hands in between his chest and hers to put a bit of space between them. He was pressed distressingly close to her and she felt like she couldn't even breathe properly. And he was still… well, still very much…

Yuuki could sense he was drinking slower now, not as hungrily, and she paused, reluctant to stop him. She waited as long as she could until she couldn't ignore the fact any longer.

"Zero?" she pushed harder against his chest. He lifted his head and pulled back slightly, looking into her eyes with a slight frown. Yuuki's eyes slid involuntarily to his blood stained lips, then she looked into his eyes. The crimson hue was starting to fade, turning his eyes amethyst again.

"What?" he asked, his voice still husky from swallowing her warm life giving blood.

Yuuki's cheeks were flushed brightly by now. "You're… you know…" she said in an agonised whisper. She didn't know how to continue, so she pointed her index finger downwards. Zero's eyes followed that direction obediently and realised he had his hips pressed close to Yuuki's. And he knew from the blush on her cheeks what she was trying to say.

Zero pulled away quickly and Yuuki sagged against the wall in palpable relief, her eyes still glued to the bulge in his jeans. Zero scowled, his turn to blush now as he quickly turned aside with a muttered apology. The side view only enhanced what he was trying to hide and he saw Yuuki's eyes grow even wider with surprise.

Her eyes flew back up to his face when she heard him cursing under his breath. "Well…" she said, then trailed off.

"Well, now you know why" stated Zero grimly. His back was now facing her but he turned his head to glance at her sideways, one eyebrow lifted.

Yuuki bit her lip. Would this happen each time he held her? It would make things rather awkward really…

"But - you didn't use to… you know… right?" she asked.

Zero stared grimly at the bathtub, as though the pristine porcelain surface would yield an answer to him.

"Not then, but – " he broke off. His keen hearing had picked up approaching sounds. Quickly, he swung around, mouthing "Father" silently to Yuuki. She gasped softly, her eyes widening even more as Zero stepped quickly to the door and wrenched it open. He'd judged correctly that the Chairman was only halfway across the dining room that led to the corridor and Zero managed to swiftly move down and duck behind the corner a second before the Chairman turned the corner at his end.

By the time the older man had reached the bathroom, Yuuki was clad once more in her windbreaker, hurriedly zipped up to her neck to hide the fresh bite marks Zero had made. "All yours, Father" she said sunnily and left the bathroom.

Her father smiled, nodding absently as he stepped in and closed the door. He turned around and caught sight of Zero's windbreaker on the wooden bench.

Zero was inside his room, leaning against his door and shaking his head ruefully. Geez, that was close… his blood drinking sessions were getting to be rather stressful. Not only that, he now needed a cold shower as soon as the Chairman was done using the toilet…

He licked Yuuki's blood off his lips and waited for the sounds of the toilet being flushed. Grabbing his towel, he opened his room door and strode to the bathroom. The Chairman was just coming out and he smiled at Zero.

"I believe this is yours?" he held out Zero's windbreaker towards him, trying not to grin at the sight of Zero's face as he stared accusingly at the innocent clothing in his father's hand.

"Uh – yeah" Zero muttered and grabbed it, scowling heavily at the floor. He quickly stepped past his father and closed the door but it couldn't quite shut out the sudden chuckle he heard on the other side. All right, a cold shower was definitely in order now, to cool down his ardour as well as the heat on his face…

Back in her room, Yuuki changed into her pyjamas and sat at her desk. She somehow knew Zero would drop by, and she was still debating what to say to him when his knock sounded ten minutes later.

She didn't answer at first but Zero knocked again. He was wondering if she'd had already fallen asleep when the door suddenly opened. "Yes?" muttered Yuuki, staring fixedly at the middle button of his pyjama shirt.

Zero opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. Yuuki had accused him of not holding her after drinking her blood so he'd thought… but it didn't look like she wanted him to, anymore… not that he blamed her or anything…

"Nothing" he muttered, turning away. "Goodnight, Yuuki…"

Yuuki bit her lip. "Wait, Zero…" He stopped but didn't look back at her. It was just like the night of the dance, after they'd kissed for the first time. Yuuki stared at his tense back for a moment, frowning a little. Why was this happening? she thought.

"Come in, Zero… please" she murmured softly. He turned his head a little. "Are you sure?" he asked.

Yuuki had to smile at the hesitation in his voice. "Just for a while" she said.

Zero turned to face her fully, his expression guarded. He gave a quick glance down the corridor, mostly out of reflex, then quickly, as though afraid Yuuki would change her mind, stepped into her room and closed the door behind him - Yuuki barely managed to step aside.

"Zero, you don't have… to – " Yuuki broke off as Zero practically hauled her into his arms, his arms closing convulsively around her. Yuuki stood still in his embrace, a little stunned by the abruptness of his movements. Then she giggled and relaxed, wrapping her own arms around him. Hearing her laugh, Zero loosened his arms a little, feeling his heartbeat slow down, relieved that she still wanted him to hold her.

Yuuki sighed after a moment, an 'I'm sighing because I'm happy and this feels good' kind of sigh as far as Zero could tell. "This is getting to be really strange, huh, Zero?" she asked softly. Zero smiled wryly against her hair. "Tell me about it" he muttered.

Yuuki giggled again and pressed closer to Zero, relieved that his body again felt… normal… against hers. "Yuuki…" said Zero warningly, his voice holding just a hint of pained amusement. He shifted her towards his side a little, just in case.

Yuuki knew what he was doing but she only smiled against his shirt. This was Zero after all… she had nothing to worry about. They stood there for a few minutes, Yuuki's slender fingers absently drawing imaginary circles on his back, making Zero shift her a little more to his side.

After a while, he heard her yawn and reluctantly released her. "It's late…" he said. Yuuki smiled up at him. "Goodnight, Zero" she said softly, removing her hands from his back and pulling his head down to hers to kiss him on the cheek. "Goodnight, Yuuki" Zero murmured in return, brushing a kiss on her forehead. "Also, thank you for… you know…" he whispered.

"Anytime…" whispered Yuuki, smiling happily. All was well now, and she was still smiling when she fell asleep two minutes later.

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	26. Chap 12: Wanting More

**Author Notes: **Another chapter, and complete in itself this time - promise! On second thoughts, I'd better not promise first, LOL.. It was written at the same time as Part 1 of The Dance chapter i.e. in Jan2008 but it had to come later…

**Disclaimer:** Refer to my previous chapters...

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"Yuuki! Over here!"

Yuuki swung around, shiny auburn strands of hair sticking damply to her forehead and neck, ball tightly clasped in her hands. She threw the ball over to Yori who then tossed it to another of her teammates. She tossed it high into the net – score! Yuuki cheered and clapped along with the others.

It was a hot summer's day and the Day Class students were having a physical education session, the boys playing basketball and the girls netball.

The ball went to the other team now and Yuuki, her attention wandering for a moment, glanced over to the opposite end of the large school field where the boys were. She could see a tall lean figure, silvery hair glinting in the sun as he dribbled past his opponents, his vampire abilities lending him grace and speed as he jumped up and slam-dunked the ball into the basket. Wow… she thought. It must be nice to be able to move like that…

"Oi, Yuuki!" Yori's voice next to her ear made her jump. "Oh, er, sorry…" she said, wondering if she'd failed to catch a ball. She swiped at the sweat on her forehead, already longing to have the game over so that she could enjoy a cool shower, even though there was more than half an hour of play to go.

A shout from the other end of the field drew her attention again. The basketball game had stopped; two guys were down on the ground, one sitting and the other one flat on his back. The one sitting down had silvery hair. A tingle of warning rippled through Yuuki; there'd better not be any injuries with blood… not when her fellow School Prefect was around. Automatically, she started walking towards them.

Yuuki, we haven't finished yet!" Yori's exasperated tones reached her and she half turned around. "Sorry, er, prefect duties…" she answered vaguely, ignoring her friend's disbelieving "What, now?!"

All the boys were now crowding around the fallen players and Yuuki broke into a sprint, flying across the field. She skidded to a stop upon reaching them and pushed her way through the circle of rather sweaty male bodies. Dropping to her knees beside Zero, she asked quickly "Zero, are you hurt?"

Before he could answer, the boy still lying on the ground said feebly "C'mon Yuuki, I'm the injured one here… not Zero-kun. He pushed me, you know…"

"No, he did not…" replied Yuuki automatically, her large chocolate eyes daring the boy to say more. It didn't matter even if Zero did push him, she would never admit it. She swung back to Zero and found him gazing at her with _that_ look in his eyes. The one that said he was happy inside that she was on his side although you couldn't tell that unless you knew him very, very well. There was something else in the eyes though - the amethyst irises were slowly turning crimson.

"Zero?" she whispered urgently. "Where's the…"

He nodded at the other player's elbow then closed his eyes, nostrils dilating. His breathing had speeded up a little, starting to sound more laboured and Yuuki placed a comforting hand on his shoulder as she swung again towards the other guy. He'd gashed his elbow somehow and a trickle of dark red blood was slowly making its way down his arm as he sat up, assisted by the other guys. There was a cut on his knee as well, and Yuuki knew Zero had to get out of there. Now. Before anyone else saw his symptoms.

Reverting automatically to School Prefect mode, she ignored the Physical Education teacher who was hovering around uselessly and ordered two burly guys to help their injured friend to the infirmary. Bending low, she whispered in Zero's ear "Go to your room, I'll be there shortly."

Then she raised her voice. "Oh Zero, could you please run on ahead and inform the school nurse that we have an injured student?" She helped to pull him to his feet at the same time.

"Hey, I can do that…" offered one of the boys, helpfully. Yuuki rounded on him at once. "No, you will not!" He backed down immediately. "OK, Yuuki, you don't have to bite my head off you know…"

Yuuki ignored him. "Go!" she said to Zero.

- o -

Ten minutes later, Yuuki tapped on Zero's door lightly before opening it. He was sitting at his desk, resting his head on one hand, looking out of the window.

"Zero? It's OK, we've taken the other guy to the infirmary and the others have continued playing…"

He turned to look at her and Yuuki, seeing the bloodlust still present in his eyes, turned to close the door, locking it before she belatedly realised she shouldn't. Her hand still hovering indecisively next to the deadbolt, she hesitated.

"Leave it"

Yuuki turned back to Zero. "But…"

"Father's gone out this afternoon, or have you forgotten?"

Yuuki gave a slight toss of her head to hide the fact that she had forgotten. Zero stood up, folding his arms across his chest, lips pressed tightly together.

Yuuki frowned at him. "Zero, don't tell me you're going to be stubborn about this…"

He looked down at the floor. "I already took from you the day before yesterday, I wasn't going to – well, not so soon anyway…"

Yuuki's expression softened. "I know, Zero… but these things happen" as he continued to look down, she added softly "It's not your fault"

He lifted his head to raise an eyebrow at her. "It isn't?"

Yuuki smiled as she walked over to him. "No, it isn't. Now, let's do it before our next class starts, OK?"

Zero's shoulders relaxed and a small smile played on his lips. "What would I do without you, Yuuki…?" he murmured softly, reaching out to clasp her small hand in his larger one.

Yuuki smiled back at him. "Oh, I don't know…" she said innocently. "But there's always Father…" She grinned at the look of disgust on Zero's face.

After a moment, she looked around. "Well, where shall we -" she began but broke off as Zero stood up and placed his hands on her shoulders, pulling her closer and pressing her down onto his desk chair. She complied, large eyes widening further as he knelt in front of her, as though he were a subject paying homage to his Queen…

Yuuki shook off the rather fanciful notion. Some Queen she looked; she was dressed in the school's sports uniform for girls – a white collared T-shirt embossed with the school logo in front and the words "Cross Academy" at the back, teamed with black skirt-shorts - and she was damp and sticky with perspiration from the netball practice. Zero was also still in his sports T-shirt, paired with black colored shorts.

Zero moved closer, then paused, eyeing her collar. "You might want to take that off…" he murmured hopefully.

With Zero kneeling on the floor, Yuuki was the slightly taller one now and she looked down suspiciously at him, giving him a 'What, we're back to this again?' look. She noticed the teasing glint almost, but not quite, obscured by the crimson hue in his eyes.

"Yeah, you wish…"

"C'mon, Yuuki… it's not like you're not wearing anything underneath _this _time…"

Yuuki gasped. Oh, so now she was supposed to strip every time he wanted to drink her blood, was it? _Someone _was getting just a little too overly familiar… Perhaps she should start wearing one of her tank tops under her school shirt everyday, just in case that same _someone _had an urge to drink as and when he just felt like it…

Zero was still looking at her, reading her thoughts. Obviously, Yuuki had forgotten the fact that she had asked him to drink her blood in the first place... "Do you have a better suggestion?" he asked, unable now to keep his lips from twitching.

"Yes - I could change my shirt…" Yuuki tossed back at him, getting ready to stand up.

Zero's face fell just a little before he recovered swiftly. "But you haven't showered yet…" he countered, resisting the urge to stop Yuuki as she half stood up.

"Well, I – " Yuuki broke off and bit her lip as Zero grinned. A moment later, her irritation vanished. Seeing Zero smile always made her want to do the same and she now sighed, settling back down and tossing her head just a little. "All right…" Since the Chairman wasn't around anyway...

Zero's mouth went dry from anticipation.

"First, turn around"

"What? Why?"

Yuuki stared at Zero. "Turn around" she repeated slowly, drawing a small horizontal circle in the air with her index finger to emphasise her point.

A little disappointed, Zero turned his back on her.

Yuuki eyed him suspiciously for five seconds then grasped the hem of her T-shirt and pulled it over her head.

"OK, you can turn around now…"

Yuuki was holding her damp T-shirt against her chest for the scant protection it offered. Zero bent forward, grasping her upper arms lightly and burrowing his face in the warm skin of Yuuki's neck, seeking the pulse that had speeded up at the base of her throat. The puncture marks he'd made two days ago had closed up but the scabs had not fallen off yet and he licked the area apologetically, knowing he was going to create more.

Yuuki tasted… intoxicating, thought Zero. The faint salty tang of her sweat accentuated how sweet she tasted and he ran his tongue from the base of her throat, past her jaw line, to her earlobe, wanting more. Yuuki shivered helplessly and placed her hands on his shoulders instinctively, causing the T-shirt to drop unheeded to her lap.

"Erm, Zero…?"

He laved both sides of her throat and neck again and again, unable to get enough of her scent and the way she tasted.

Yuuki shivered again, pushing at his shoulders. "Zero, what are you doing? Just drink already…!"

Zero ignored her, licking the back of one small perfectly shaped ear before sucking her earlobe gently into his mouth, something he'd been longing to do since the night of the dance a couple of months back, when her ears had been adorned with small dangling crystal ear rings.

Yuuki inhaled sharply, slender fingers digging into his shoulders. "Will you stop it! I'm sweating…!"

"I know… I am too…" murmured Zero absently, his arms tightening around her now.

Yuuki shrieked suddenly, jerking aside as a warm wet tongue suddenly thrust right into her ear. Gosh, that felt… that felt…

Face flaming, she pushed harder at his shoulders "Stop tasting me!" she said crossly, embarrassed beyond words at the way Zero seemed to be… enjoying… the taste of her perspiration. There had to be something… rather… _indecent _about this, right? she wondered to herself.

"Go on, hurry up" she urged then inhaled as his fangs finally broke her skin before his warm lips closed around the fresh wounds, sucking at her blood and swallowing it.

Yuuki, eyes closing, threaded the fingers of one hand through the silky silver wet hair at the back of his neck, her other hand moving soothingly over the equally damp material covering his back. He pressed closer, long fingers clutching tightly on the back of her sports bra as he continued drinking from her.

Long moments later, Zero stopped and drew back slightly, his tongue licking at her wounds and around it. His breathing has slowed down from the warm puffs of breath Yuuki could feel on her neck. "Are you OK?" he asked quietly against her neck.

Yuuki opened her eyes. "I'm OK, Zero…" she murmured. He pulled back a little to look at her and her gaze dropped to his blood stained lips. She grabbed a tissue from the box on his desk and handed it to him silently. Zero licked his lips before swiping the tissue over it. "Thanks, Yuuki" he whispered, his amethyst eyes dark and vulnerable as ever after he drank from her.

"You're welcome" she whispered back. He leaned back more and released his hold on the back of her bra, accidentally unclasping it at the same time. Yuuki felt her bra loosen and a strap slipped off a pale shoulder as Zero's hand brushed past it, exposing one side.

Yuuki looked down and groaned inwardly – not again! She _knew _she shouldn't have taken off her T-shirt - quickly, she grabbed it from her lap.

Zero froze in place, eyes widening as he focused on the creamy pale swell of flesh only inches away from his nose. Almost without thinking, Zero's long fingers closed unerringly over Yuuki's wrists as she moved to cover herself, pinning her arms behind her back, leaving her exposed and vulnerable to his searing gaze. He bent his head closer.

"Z-Zero…?" quavered Yuuki, staring down at the silver head close to her body. He was so close she could feel his ragged breath on her skin. Her own breath was coming in short little gasps but she didn't struggle… almost fascinated in spite of herself. Yuuki held her breath now, eyes dilating. What did Zero think he was going to do? Was he – was he going to touch her again…? No, he wouldn't, right? I mean, he shouldn't, really...

He did.

Yuuki's breath blew out in a surprised rush as Zero's tongue darted out to lick the soft pink nipple so temptingly close to him. It hardened immediately against his warm wet tongue. Encouraged, senses reeling, he licked the hardened nipple again and again, then closed his lips around it gently. Yuuki inhaled sharply, arms twisting helplessly in his grasp as he sucked her into his mouth. His tongue rasped against her and she arched her back helplessly, moaning softly. Her response only encouraged him more and he sucked her harder and deeper into his mouth, feeling like he could never get enough of her.

Letting go of her wrists now, Zero wrapped his arms around Yuuki, pulling her closer to him. Quite unable to think any rational thoughts beyond what she was feeling, her eyes closing, her head falling back, Yuuki entwined shaking fingers in his hair, holding him to her as he continued to lavish attention on her breast, finally releasing it from his mouth to drop little kisses on the creamy swell of flesh surrounding her swollen nipple. Desire pounded inside him and he knew, he could sense and even smell the fact that Yuuki didn't want him to stop either… His hand moved to the other strap of her bra to slip it over her shoulder, he wanted to see and taste the other…

The school bell rang suddenly, signaling the end of physical education class when students would head back to their dorms to shower and change. Even though the sound was somewhat distant, it was enough to make them break apart, breathing heavily. Darkened amethyst eyes looked up into wide confused brown ones.

Quickly, Yuuki pulled away and looked around wildly. "The bell, we – we have to go…" she murmured. She turned back to look at Zero, inhaling sharply at the sight of one long fingered hand reaching out to touch her exposed breast.

Deeply mortified at what had just happened, Yuuki slapped his hand away, shielding herself with her other hand. "Don't _touch _me, you… you… pervert!" she hissed. Zero blinked in surprise, rocking back on his heels as Yuuki got up, grabbing her T-shirt and holding it in front of her for belated protection. She stood up and brushing past Zero, ran to the door on none too steady legs and unlocked it quickly. "I - I'm going to shower!" she threw over her shoulder and escaped, her voice sounding more than a little panicked.

Zero gulped deep breaths, still staring at the open door. Dear God, what just happened? Had he gotten too carried away?

Having grabbed her towel, a fresh change of underwear and her uniform, all held tightly against her chest, Yuuki made for the bathroom, deliberately _not thinking_. In the bathroom, she stripped off her loosely hanging bra and stared at her flushed reflection in the mirror above the sink. It was large enough to allow her to see her breasts and how one nipple was swollen and slightly reddened, the creamy soft skin surrounding it bore slight patches of red courtesy of the almost invisible boyish whiskers on Zero's upper lip. Compared to the pristine condition of her other breast, it looked…

She groaned mentally, unable to stop feeling that hot mouth and tongue lavishing attention on her. Her cheeks flamed even more. Stop it! she thought desperately, burying her face in her hands.

Suddenly remembering she still had classes to go to, Yuuki whirled away from the mirror, shedding the rest of her clothes and stepping into the shower. She shampooed her hair and showered quickly before drying herself and donning fresh underwear and her school shirt and black skirt. Rubbing at her hair, she stepped out of the bathroom and down the corridor, still debating whether to knock on Zero's door on the way as she usually did, unable to face him at the moment. She was saved from having to make up her mind on this when she saw Zero leaning on the wall outside his door. He'd already stripped off his T-shirt, towel slung around his shoulders, his school uniform on one arm.

"Yuuki…"

Yuuki ignored his pointed look and the slight pleading note she _thought _she heard in his tone. "Go take your shower, you'll be late" she said shortly, despite the fact there were at least twenty minutes more before the next class started, the longer time enabling all students to have a chance at the dorm showers.

"Wait for me then…" he murmured before swinging around towards the bathroom. Yuuki turned around, sticking her tongue out at his back, glaring at him for a moment. Not likely, mister…

Back in her room, she stuck a band aid on the fresh wounds and ran a comb through her wet hair. After tucking in her skirt and pulling on her socks and shoes with almost frantic haste, she pulled on her school jacket and opened her room door at the same time, intending to escape to class before Zero could finish his shower. She couldn't face him, not right now…

Only to find he was already striding down the corridor towards her, fresh from his shower, school shirt unbuttoned and hanging loose over his black trousers. Rubbing at his wet hair with the towel, he grabbed Yuuki's arm with his other hand as she took a quick step backwards and pulled her into his room, nudging the door shut with a bare foot.

"I said to wait for me…" he muttered, slanting a glance down at her as she pursed her lips, folding her arms over her chest and leaning against the door, color flaring in her cheeks again. Zero threw the towel down carelessly onto his desk and finished buttoning his shirt, sucking in his already flat stomach to tuck the ends of the shirt into his trousers. He ran his fingers carelessly through his hair and knelt down to pull on his socks and shoes. Finally, Zero draped his school jacket on one arm, grabbed his half knotted tie on his desk and slipped it over his head.

"Come on…" he said quietly, walking towards the door. Yuuki didn't wait, she turned and pulled open the door, walking quickly back down the corridor and through the dining room, heading towards the living room that led out to the main entrance. Zero caught up with her easily, pushing up the knot of his tie snugly under shirt collar and pulling on his jacket as they walked silently.

Yuuki bit her lip, staring straight ahead and wondering what to say and why she should say anything at all – after all, she wasn't the one who'd kissed…

No, that wasn't right… although she was still hotly embarrassed at what had happened earlier, she couldn't honestly blame Zero entirely. After all, she'd hardly pushed him away, had she? Not to mention pulling him even closer and moaning like a… like a… Cheeks flaming again, she exhaled sharply, still looking straight ahead. And he'd also forgotten to hold her close to him like he inevitably did after each time after he drank her blood. Well, he didn't have a chance to, since she'd pushed… But it always made her feel… special… cherished and he'd promised he'd always do that, right? Oh, OK, so she had pulled away and hightailed it out of his room but that was because… because he had – here she inhaled deeply and cut off her disjointed thoughts short again, scowling. Calm down, Yuuki… she scolded herself.

Zero glanced down at her flushed cheeks. He could hear her agitated breathing and knew she was still thinking about what had happened. He didn't want them to go to class like this, especially when she was still mad at him.

As they walked through the living room and past a short corridor that led to the Chairman's study, Zero suddenly stopped and pulled Yuuki down the corridor. Opening the study door, he peeped inside then pulled Yuuki in, closing the door behind her.

"Zero, we'll be late for class" said Yuuki, bewildered at his sudden action.

He glanced at his watch. "No, we won't." He leaned back against the door and sighed, shoving both hands in his trouser pockets. "I want to say something… and I want to do something" he confessed, holding her gaze with his own.

Yuuki sniffed a little, shoulders tense. She folded her arms folded her chest and looked fixedly at the packed bookcase that stood against the wall on her right instead of at Zero.

"I'm sorry…"

Eyes widening at the unexpected apology, Yuuki swung back to look at him. "You – you are?" she asked, surprised.

One broad shoulder hunched. "Well, not really…" he admitted honestly. Ignoring her indignant gasp, he quickly added "But I didn't mean to make you angry with me. Truly."

He saw the tense set of Yuuki's shoulders relax slowly and breathed a sigh of relief. "Well…" she said tentatively, her arms falling back to her sides.

"Although… you liked that, didn't you?" The words slipped out before Zero could stop himself and he groaned inwardly as Yuuki inhaled sharply once more, eyes narrowing and her arms moving to her hips. She muttered something unintelligible under her breath, shook her head then brushed past him and reached for the doorknob, uncaring that he was still leaning against the door.

"Yuuki, wait…" Long fingers grasped her upper arms, stopping her in her tracks in front of him.

Yuuki twisted ineffectually. "No - let me go!" she hissed, still staring at the door instead of at Zero. His lips almost twitched at the sight of Yuuki, wide eyes sparking with temper and color high in her cheeks. "You don't have to answer that question, you know..?" he said softly, even though the enchanting blush pretty much gave her away.

She paused, irresolute for a moment and Zero took the opportunity to pull her close to him. "And this is what I forgot to do…" he said. Yuuki uttered a small indignamt snort and placed her hands on his chest, preventing him from pulling her fully against him. "Oh no, you don't! Let me go, Zero!" She started hitting him with her small fists. "Now!"

Zero ignored her punches even though they weren't exactly painless. As Yuuki continued to pummel him, he added coaxingly "Please, Yuuki…"

Yuuki stopped her physical abuse and glared mutinously up at him.

"Please…?" Zero gave her his best smile – the one that started in his amethyst eyes and traveled down to tease awake the dimple in his cheek before journeying inwards to tilt up his lips.

Yuuki glared at him a moment longer and sniffed. Then she closed her eyes and sighed before sliding both hands down Zero's shirt and around his back, under his still unbuttoned jacket. His body quivered slightly at her unintentional caress as he sighed in relief, resting his chin on her still wet hair and pulling her closer against him.

Yuuki burrowed her face against the soft cotton of his shirt and sighed in return. "You know I can't stay mad at you for long, don't you…" she whispered reluctantly.

Zero smiled into her hair, sensing a "Yeah, I know" comment wasn't wise at this point in time. "I'm glad..." he said softly instead, wondering if he was ever going to make any headway with Yuuki when she still thought of him as a friend and adopted brother. He wasn't sure how Yuuki thought about all those… 'situations' they'd had.

After a moment, Yuuki stirred. "I really like how you hold me like this, Zero" she said softly even though she'd said it before. More than once, probably…

Zero tightened his arms around her in response. "I know... and I like holding you like this even more than you do" he said huskily. Yuuki smiled a little even though he _had _said it before… and more than once too. "Really?" she whispered, still wanting to be further reassured.

"Really, Yuuki" he said.

The final warning bell sounded and they broke apart reluctantly.

"Let's go…" Zero looked down at her, his face serious again. He waited until Yuuki smiled before he allowed himself to.

"Yeah…"

Out in the main entrance, Yuuki broke into a run, the tense moment forgotten. "Race you, Zero!" she called back happily. Relieved he hadn't taken enough from Yuuki to make her dizzy, and even more relieved that she was no longer angry with him, Zero lengthened his stride but slowed down once he'd caught up with her.

Reaching the classrooms, they joined the throng of laughing and chattering students as they entered the classroom for their next lesson.

---------------------------------------- End ----------------------------------------


	27. Chap 13: Thunderstorm

**Author Notes: **Another chapter! Do hop over to my bio page if you want to know why this is a chapter in itself and not Part 1 of a longer one…

**Disclaimer: **Refer to my previous chapters...

---------------------------------------- Start ----------------------------------------

It was after midnight. Heavy black clouds had rolled in to obscure the sky since evening with the promise of a storm to come. However, the rain held off until midnight. For the Day Class students, it was delicious to snuggle under the blankets and let the heavy pattering of rain send you to sleep… until the storm started in earnest together with the requisite amounts of lightning and accompanying thunder.

In bed, Zero reluctantly opened his eyes. He'd actually been awake for more than half an hour now and he lay there quietly for a minute. Lightning flashed again, illuminating his darkened room and making his pupils constrict painfully. A couple of seconds later, thunder rumbled once more. Loudly.

Zero sighed and turned to his right to glance at his alarm clock. He didn't even need to wait for the next occurrence of lightning to see the hands of the clock quite clearly – it was now a little past two in the morning and he wasn't likely to get any sleep until the storm blew over. 

He knew Yuuki was in for a sleepless night as well. Oh, he knew she liked rainy days well enough, if it came with a cup of hot chocolate, curled up in a corner of the sofa in the living room, or on the window seat listening to the rain as she watched droplets slide down the glass. He knew she also liked rainy nights with the steady fall of rain lulling her to sleep. But not thunderstorms… oh no, Yuuki had been afraid of them for as long as he'd known her, and even longer before that.

Zero had experienced quite a number of times when Yuuki would cry out in the night after a particularly loud thunderclap. Either he or the Chairman would end up in her room comforting her. Sometimes, Zero would get there first and their Father would later find them both on the living room sofa, waiting out the storm. Yuuki would be pressed close to Zero's side while he sat there with his chin resting on his other hand, looking like he'd rather be any place other than where he currently was. And of course, somewhere along the line, he's lost the urge to even pretend to look like that…

The violent thunderstorm continued and after about ten minutes while Zero was still debating with himself whether or not to actually go check on Yuuki – she was no longer eleven years old after all – he heard her light footsteps go past his door outside in the corridor. Well, she was definitely awake and out of bed. Zero sat up, swinging long legs to the floor and wriggling bare feet into slippers.

Yuuki was standing at the kitchen counter making what smelled like hot chocolate. Zero leaned against the kitchen door, letting his eyes get used to the bright fluorescent glare while they skimmed over her pyjamas. Yuuki was wearing the girlish salmon pink set that made her look even sweeter and more petite than usual. 

She finished stirring the contents of her mug. "Yuuki…" called Zero softly from the doorway, wanting to get her attention before she started to carry her mug to the table and dropped it in surprise upon seeing him. Immediately, she swung around to the door, her brown eyes startled. "Zero, you awake too?" Without waiting for an answer, she turned back to the counter. "Do you want some hot chocolate?" she asked, already reaching for the tin of powdered chocolate.

"Yeah, just not too sweet..." Zero walked over to the kitchen table that stood in the corner and sank down into his usual seat.

Yuuki flashed him a quick smile over her shoulder before she turned back -he felt the warmth of that smile all the way down to his toes.

They sat in silence for a while as they sipped the hot beverage but the storm showed no sign of letting up. Lightning and thunder came at regular intervals along with the heavy unending rain and Zero realised they probably wouldn't be the only ones to sleep in the class the next day. Well, at least the Night Class students would have no such excuse since it was officially their 'daytime'. He smiled grimly at the thought. 

Yuuki rested her heavy head in her hand, yawning every two minutes. She desperately wanted to sleep but she just couldn't. And she'd much rather be in the kitchen with Zero than in her bed alone, stuffing her fingers in her ears or burying her head under her pillows. A particularly loud boom sounded after another flash of lightning and Yuuki actually jumped up about six inches from her chair, after which she edged even closer to Zero, not caring what he thought of her by now.

Zero glanced at her without speaking. He had a remedy of course… but as it involved either him sleeping in Yuuki's bed or her sleeping in his, it wasn't one that he could put into practice… not anymore.

Yuuki's head started to droop again and auburn strands came dangerously close to getting dunked in hot chocolate. Zero made up his mind. "Come on, it's more comfortable on the sofa at least…" He drained his mug and stood up. Yuuki did the same before placing both mugs in the kitchen sink and filling them with water from the tap. 

They walked out of the kitchen, past the dining room towards the living room, Zero trying his best to ignore the fact that he wanted to put an arm around Yuuki. She headed for the sofa immediately, curling up on the left side, away from the windows. Zero pressed her shoulder gently, saying "Wait here, I'll get our blankets…" Yuuki smiled her thanks then winced when a particularly vicious streak of lightning flashed. Quickly, she clapped both hands over her ears, making him smile for a moment.

She watched as Zero walked off to their rooms. Zero knew about her fear of thunderstorms and she appreciated the fact that he'd never laughed at her fears, and that he was voluntarily keeping her company when he could be comfortably ensconced in his bed. She didn't know why she'd accused him of not caring a couple of weeks ago – she knew he did. No matter what he said, or how he looked, she knew he did.

The object of her thoughts swiped the blankets off their respective beds, unconsciously burying his nose in Yuuki's as he walked back to the living room – he hadn't realised just how much he'd missed the heavenly smell of her blanket. Geez, what a love-struck idiot he was…

As Zero walked back to the living room, he lowered her blanket and tossed both of them down onto the sofa before throwing himself down on the other end, slouching his tall frame and stretching out his legs in front of him. 

"Zero? Sit here please…" Yuuki moved towards the centre of the sofa and patted the corner she'd just vacated. Obediently, Zero got up and sat down again at the designated spot, slouching as before. Yuuki swung her legs up onto the sofa, spreading her blanket over herself before leaning on Zero's right arm. Automatically, he placed hisarm around her shoulders, holding her close. Ah, it was utter bliss holding Yuuki like this… he leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

After a moment, a soft giggle sounded against his arm. Zero opened his eyes and glanced down. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"The fact that we're now reduced to sleeping together on the sofa" replied Yuuki drolly and Zero paused, startled, before he too chuckled reluctantly. "Yeah, guess Father can't say anything this time, huh…"

Yuuki snuggled closer to Zero's warmth, her eyes already closed. "Hey, you're not using your blanket…" she murmured sleepily. "I'm fine, go to sleep" said Zero softly, bending his head to drop a kiss on the silky hair falling over her forehead. 

Yuuki dropped off to sleep almost immediately as the following claps of thunder were noticeably quieter than before. The storm was finally started to slow down and after a while, Zero shifted, swinging his legs up onto the sofa as well. Yuuki slept on, her upper body resting on Zero's chest and her face tucked into his neck. 

Zero managed to fling his blanket over their bodies, but it wasn't easy to fall asleep like this. For one thing, the sofa wasn't as comfortable as his own bed. For another, the warm soft body lying on top of his chest with its most enticing scent teased his senses unmercifully. He was also all too aware of the fact that only the thin cotton of his pyjama shirt and Yuuki's were all that separated his chest from her sweet curves – she obviously wasn't wearing anything underneath. That and the warm soft puffs of her even breathing against the sensitive skin at his neck and her soft sweet scent kept him awake for quite some time before he too finally drifted off to sleep.

Three hours later, the storm had reduced to a light drizzle. The Chairman's room was located along the same corridor as his study, which lead to the living room just a few feet away from the sofa. He shuffled out to use the main bathroom and the sounds of the toilet being flushed woke Zero up from his light slumber. 

On the way back to his room, the older man saw a silver head pillowed on the arm rest of the sofa and discovered the two occupants lying on it. Zero's left arm was dangling off the sofa with his knuckles resting lightly on the floor. His right arm was clasped around Yuuki's shoulders as she half lay on top of him, her legs tucked into the small space between his own and the leather-clad back of the sofa. Her blanket was tangled around her legs and Zero's was already on the floor.

The Chairman stood looking down at them for a moment, a gentle and somewhat resigned smile on his face. He moved to the front of the sofa and picked up the fallen blanket. Shaking it out, he covered both their sleeping forms with it, tucking one side around Yuuki's back to keep it from slipping again to the floor.

Only after straightening up did he realise Zero was actually awake, the amethyst eyes regarding him silently. The older man didn't say anything and after a moment of silence, Zero raised his left hand off the floor to pull the blanket higher up over Yuuki shoulders. "Thanks…" he said softly.

The Chairman hesitated. _Thanks for covering them? Thanks for not yelling? Thanks for what? _

"The storm's over, Zero, you should take Yuuki back to her bed…" he suggested gently. 

Zero glanced down at the sleeping girl. "I don't want to wake her…" he said softly, feeling more than a little embarrassed and vulnerable lying there on the sofa with Yuuki half sprawled on top of him and the Chairman looking down at them both. Did he know that Yuuki never wore her bra when she slept? Zero found himself wondering uneasily. OK, don't think of that now…

A wry smile tugged at the older man's lips as he shrugged. "Well, don't blame me if you suffer from a crick in the neck for the next two days…" he said before turning and heading back to his room.

Zero let his eyes drift shut once more. He was already starting to feel the slight ache at the back of his neck as the arm rest his head was on was much higher than his pillow. At the same time he was reluctant to wake Yuuki up. He tried moving his head sideways to relieve the ache.

"Whassa matter, am I heavy?" came Yuuki's sleepy voice against his neck as she stirred. 

"No" answered Zero. "But since you're awake…" He slid his arm off her shoulders and sat up slowly, wincing. Twisting his head to the right and left, he reached up his other hand to work out the kinks in his neck.

"Here, let me…" said Yuuki, sitting up as well. Her small hands were good at finding out the right places to apply pressure on and Zero closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her fingers at the back of his neck and shoulders. 

"Better?"

"Mmm, thanks…" Zero rolled his head once more then stood up as Yuuki yawned again.

"Come on, sleepyhead, back to bed…" He tucked both their blankets under one arm and held out his other hand to pull her up.

Yuuki stayed where she was and pouted, she was still very sleepy. "Aren't you gonna carry me?" she asked hopefully.

Zero froze for a moment before lifting an eyebrow at her. "Why, can't you walk?" he shot back, seriously tempted all the same.

Yuuki's head toss was very, very slight. "Well, of course I can…" she muttered. Zero regarded her bent head for a moment, smiling slightly. "But it would be nice though…" she looked up at him with a winsome smile that she knew he wouldn't be able to resist.

Zero's smile became a grin. He folded their blankets, passed them to her, then reached down to swing her up in his arms, hushing her automatically when she giggled. "Shh – do you want Father to come out again?" he said warningly. He skirted the sofa and headed for their rooms.

Yuuki's head came up from its comfortable spot on his shoulder. "What - Father was here?" she asked in alarm, suddenly wide awake as she twisted her head to look around in case the Chairman should suddenly pop up somewhere from behind the sofa or the TV.

"Yeah…"

"Well, what did he say?" demanded Yuuki, still looking around somewhat wildly."Put me _down_, Zero!"

Zero looked at her in mock surprise. "I thought you wanted to be carried to bed?" he asked.

Yuuki struggled again, causing Zero's arms to tighten automatically around her. "Hey, settle down, Yuuki. He just covered us with the blanket then went back to bed…" he explained as he walked down the corridor with his precious burden.

Yuuki goggled at him. "He _what_?" she asked, amazed. 

Zero glanced down at her. "Well, what did you expect?" he asked. Yuuki blinked. "We weren't doing anything except sleeping…" he added. 

Yuuki blushed. "Not _this _time…" she said with a meaningful look. Zero caught her look and looked away, wondering _which _time she was actually referring to. 

"Uh, never mind…" she muttered, seeing him on the verge of asking her. She released one hand from the folded blankets to twist the doorknob and push open her door. 

The soft sounds of the light rain outside, the fresh cool breeze wafting from her window and the realisation that wake up time was still another couple of hours away made for a rather delicious prospect and Yuuki sighed happily as Zero deposited her gently on the bed, her hands still holding both blankets. "I wish…" she started then broke off and bit her lip. 

With rather jerky movements, Zero retrieved both blankets from Yuuki's unresisting hands before shaking out her own over her. "Yeah, me too…" he said quietly before snatching up his blanket and turning away.

"Zero? How do you know what I was going to say?" came Yuuki's voice from behind him.

He didn't turn around. "Because that's what I want, too…"

Silence.

Zero turned around slowly to see Yuuki staring down at her blanket. "Am I right, Yuuki?" he asked.

"Yeah, well…" she said before looking up to regard him with those wide brown eyes that he swore could always see right through him to his very soul. He sighed then walked back to her. 

"Go back to sleep, Yuuki…" Zero stretched out a hand and patted her head in a deliberate and infuriating big brotherly manner. As he'd fully expected, Yuuki snorted in indignation. 

But he couldn't in a million years have expected her next impulsive actions – Yuuki snatched at his hand and yanked hard until Zero found himself sitting down abruptly beside her. Before he could say anything, she'd grabbed his head with both her hands and pulled him towards her for a defiant kiss. Right on the lips.

Zero forgot all about being brotherly. His hands closed over her upper arms, pulling her closer so that he could deepen the kiss. His tongue reached out, asked for permission, got it, and started plundering the sweet depths of her mouth. Yuuki closed her eyes as she kissed him back, her hands moving of their own volition as they started to work the buttons of his shirt. She got the first two done before Zero's warm hands clamping onto her wrists stopped her.

"Yuuki…" he said warningly against her lips, his voice low and husky. He pulled away, looking down at her.

"Hmm? What?" asked Yuuki dazedly, opening her eyes and staring up into intense amethyst ones. "Do you want me to do what your hands are doing?" he asked seriously. Because God help him, he wanted to…

"Oh…!" Yuuki had a pretty good idea of what Zero could, or would, do once he got her shirt buttons undone. Hurriedly, she snatched her hands off his shirt and placed them in her lap, blushing furiously.

"Do you?" prompted Zero softly, wondering what he'd do if for some reason she actually said yes…

Yuuki bit her lip, then glanced up hesitantly at him. "No, I – no, of course not… no…" she mumbled, wincing at how much of a 'yes' the words actually sounded like.

Zero smiled rather painfully. "Then go to _sleep_, damnit…" He released her wrists to grasp her shoulders and give her a little shake, mostly out of frustration.

"Idiot…" Yuuki muttered, knowing Zero was right.

"Silly…" 

"Jerk…" 

Zero opened his mouth and closed it again. His next word would have actually been an outright endearment and he didn't know who would have been more shocked if he'd actually said it out loud.

"Well?" Yuuki demanded, waiting for the next familiar insult.

Zero sighed and shook his head. "Sleep well, Yuuki" he said then stood up and turned around, remembering to grab his blanket at the same time.

Yuuki was silent for a moment before she sighed as well. "OK, so you're not a jerk, Zero… you know that, don't you?" she said softly.

Zero paused by her door. "I know…" he opened the door. "But you're still silly…" He grinned to himself and counted to three before he heard her indignant gasp, followed by "Hey, what do you mean by that!"

Zero stepped out and closed her door gently. "Zero, you – you jerk!" he heard her call out. There was silence and he counted to five this time before hearing Yuuki's laughter just on the other side of the door. "Silly…" she said softly, a world of tender affection in that one word and Zero smiled.

"Sleep well, Yuuki" he said again.

"You too, Zero" there was an amused resignation in that soft voice that told him Yuuki knew she could never be truly angry with him… 

Zero nodded and went back to his room. It would be more enjoyable to sleep in her bed for the next couple of hours but still… his own bed wasn't too bad. 

Kinda lonely though…

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	28. Chap 14: Going Too Far Part 1

**Author Notes: **Finally, here is the long awaited chapter! I think it will end up a 4 parter though... Thanks for waiting so patiently and I hope to complete and upload Part 2 on Friday...

**Disclaimer: **Refer to my previous chapters...

-- Start --

The bell rang, signaling the end of the last lesson of the day, for the Day Class students at Cross Academy. It was now four o'clock and Yuuki's head was already spinning from the Algebra session it had just been put through. She sighed at the thought of the homework that awaited her before the pending class changeover in a few hours' time.

Zero was already packed up and waiting for her at the classroom door, so was Yori. Yuuki packed up her books and headed towards the door, her slender hand going up to rub at her temples. The two girls exited first, Zero trailing silently behind them.

"Yuuki, are you having a headache?" asked Yori. "Why, did I wake you up from your nap too early?" she teased next, making Yuuki smile somewhat sheepishly. Against her better judgment, she had sacrificed a precious two hours of sleep last night working on a sketch of Zero, and was rather proud of how it had turned out. She'd caught the amazed, rather disbelieving look in his eyes at the exact moment a few weeks ago when he'd realised he could still drink her blood. It was already filed in her folder of sketches of Zero. As a result, she'd nodded off to sleep after lunch but luckily, Yori's pencil dug into her ribs had awakened her before the teacher noticed.

Zero strolled a few feet behind them, enjoying the breeze against his face as it carried Yuuki's soft sweet scent back to him. He never approached her when she was talking or walking with Yori. Somehow, the short exchange that he and Yori had shared during the past dance always made Zero feel as though Yori knew exactly how he felt about his adopted sister…

After a minute, they reached the path leading off to the Sun Dorms and Yuuki smiled and waved as her friend called a goodbye and walked off. Only then did Zero lengthen his stride to reach Yuuki's side.

"Hey, you really having a headache?" he asked quietly.

Yuuki started to shake her head, then nodded, still staring straight ahead.

"You have…?" Immediately, Zero started calculating the number of days that had passed since he last drank from her, wondering if her headache was brought on by blood loss…

"Yeah, and it's called 'Algebra'" muttered Yuuki darkly, before looking up in time to see Zero's relieved look accompanied by the brief flash of his dimple. "Well, let's finish it now, shall we?" he offered, shifting his books to one arm and loosening his red silk tie with his other hand.

Yuuki flashed him a grateful smile, she wasn't sure if he minded playing tutor to her all the time. Zero would just _have _to ace all of his subjects, wouldn't he, she thought ruefully.

A couple of hours later, the detested Algebra homework was duly completed and both Yuuki and Zero were quickly going through their other homework, sitting at the dining room table in a companionable silence.

Yuuki was bent over her book and absently scratching at her nose as a lock of hair teased it. Impatiently, she tucked the shiny auburn strands behind her ear, oblivious to a pair of amethyst eyes observing her covertly. Zero's approving glance moved from her hair to her face, appreciating each feature that made Yuuki so enchanting to him. Even the small frown between the delicate strokes of her eyebrows was enchanting. His gaze slid past her small ear and down her slender white throat to the base of her neck and he noticed the scabs from the bite marks he'd made last week had fallen off. But it wouldn't remain like that for long… he thought with a slight twinge of regret and guilt.

Yuuki glanced up suddenly and caught Zero's gaze on her, half hidden by the longish silvery strands that fell over his eyes. "What?" she asked, lifted eyebrows pushing away her frown.

Zero immediately shook his head. "Nothing" he said, turning once more to the open book in front of him.

Yuuki frowned again. She'd noticed Zero staring at her a lot more than he'd ever done, particularly in the past few months and she wondered if he had something to say to her…

Zero could tell Yuuki was on the verge of asking him and he closed his book quickly. "Let's get ready, it's almost time for the changeover." Startled, Yuuki glanced at the clock on the wall. Her forehead drooped onto her book for a moment before she straightened up again, back to her happy bubbly self. It was a tedious and thankless task all right but at least Kaname-sempai would be there…

"All right! Class changeover - let's go, Zero!" Yuuki sang out as she stood up and slammed her book shut before placing it on her haphazardly piled up stack of books and notes and topping it off with her pencil case. She gathered the entire stack into her arms and took a few steps before the case dropped off the pile onto the floor. "Oops…!"

Without a word, Zero bent down to retrieve the fallen pencil case. "Go" he told Yuuki, placing it on top of his own books. She smiled her thanks and they walked down the corridor towards their rooms. Zero followed Yuuki into her room to deposit the case on her desk personally, telling himself it was because he didn't want her to drop it again and NOT because he wanted another opportunity to surround himself in her enticing scent that was strongest in her room…

As expected, when they neared the Moon Dorm, Zero and Yuuki found the majority of the Day Class girls already lined up along the cemented path, eager eyes on the imposing gates in front o them. It creaked open a couple of minutes later and Yuuki reached for her whistle. School Prefect time…

A group of girls surged forward, squealing "Idol-sempai! Idol-sempai!! Over here!" as the tousle-haired blond aristocrat strolled out, hands in his pockets, before striking a pose even Senri Shiki could not fault. The part time professional model did notice it however and catching Rima's eye, nodded his head at Aido. She smiled and shook her head, rolling her eyes.

Aido's blue eyes lit up when he saw his fan base. Zero scowled darkly and strode over to the girls. "You're over the line, get back!" he snapped at them. They backed down a step amidst muttered grumbles about how mean Kiriyu was, always throwing his weight around and spoiling all the fun with that glare and frown of his.

"Hey Kiriyu, don't be so mean to my friends…" murmured Aido as he moved up to stand beside Zero, deliberately clapping a hand onto the brooding prefect's tense shoulder and making him shrug it off distastefully. Aido turned to flash a blindingly white smile at the suitably smitten girls. "And looking so lovely tonight too…" he chirped. Zero's jaw clenched hard. "Get to class, Aido" he growled at the vampire noble before swinging back to the girls. "And you lot, you've seen your 'Idol' – now get back to your dorms!" he barked at them.

"Now, now, Kiriyu" began Aido, getting annoyed. He'd taken special care to look his best tonight, even sacrificing a precious half an hour of sleep to fix his hair just right, and the presumptuous Kiriyu just had to go spoil his fun...

"Get. To. Class." Zero bit out tersely. He locked gazes with the vampire noble, not caring what the Day Class girls thought. And after a while, Aido glanced away. He told himself he wasn't scared of the hunter turned vampire, even though the steely look in those amethyst eyes had unnerved him a little. They'd made Kiriyu look like he really _didn't care _what happened to him, that he had nothing left to lose… and for a startled moment, Aido realised that this same attitude was probably what made Kiriyu dare to stand up to Kaname-sama, when the rest of the vampire world obeyed him without question.

Zero had turned away from Aido now, belatedly realising that he himself was acting somewhat out of line. After all, he knew Aido was the playboy of the lot of them. Thankfully, Yuuki hadn't noticed his behaviour, she wouldn't have hesitated to chastise him on the spot. Wouldn't 'Idol-sempai' have loved to see that… thought Zero grimly to himself before realising why Yuuki hadn't noticed.

She was conversing animatedly with Kuran, glancing distractedly at the glowering girls around her from time to time. As expected. Zero's frown deepened even though he knew it would happen. And it did. Every damn day. She acted like this was the highlight of her day, happily soaking up every look, every word and every gesture from the tall and charismatic Moon Dorm Leader.

Zero didn't realise that Aido was now watching him, noting the way his hands had clenched into fists by his sides and how his stare had deepened as he looked at Yuuki, now laughing softly over a softly spoken comment by Kaname.

Well, well, well… Aido was aware that Zero was a Level D vampire. He also knew that Kaname was aware of this fact as well, but he thought the pureblood didn't know that Kiriyu also drank Yuuki's blood as he'd once witnessed in the Chairman's kitchen. But only now did Aido realise from the sudden look of longing on Zero's face that the ex-human was deeply in love with Cross Yuuki – the girl Kaname had picked as his own. Aido frowned, what _was _it about this human girl that made both Kaname and Zero fall for her? It must be her blood, there was no other reason - she was just too… ordinary.

A moment later, Kaname has touched Yuuki's cheek in farewell and walked on ahead. An idea had popped into Aido's head and a small sly smile played around his lips now as he gave a final wave to his fan girls before jogging ahead to where his cousin Akatsuki Kain, was now walking past Yuuki.

Deliberately, Aido raised his voice to make sure Yuuki heard every word. "Hey Kain, has Ichijo informed everyone of Kaname's party yet?"

His cousin blinked at him. "Huh? Dunno… I guess so…"

"What party?" Yuuki had her head tilted to one side as she looked curiously at the two vampire nobles in front of her. Aido made a great show of looking surprised. "Oh, Cross Yuuki! Well, Kaname's surprise par – oh dear!" he even placed a hand over his chest, looking suitably guilty. It was Kain's turn to roll his eyes now over his cousin's bad acting.

"Kaname-sempai's having a party?" asked Yuuki eagerly. "When is it?" She suddenly remembered his birthday was very close by… just a few days from now actually… could it be…? Oh dear, and she'd almost forgotten about it. Well, she had marked it down on her calendar anyway…

"Oops, forget I mentioned it. It's a secret, you see…" Aido's blue eyes were completely guileless. As Yuuki opened her mouth to question him further, he quickly added "Why don't you ask Ichijo Takuma, he's the organiser…" He grabbed Kain's arm and hurried off before Yuuki could ask him anymore questions.

Zero heard the exchange of course, being vampire himself, and he pressed his lips tightly as Yuuki immediately went over to Ichijo, who was just coming out from the Moon Dorm gates. The tall and handsome Assistant Dorm Leader usually walked beside Kuran but had turned back to get a forgotten book.

Zero frowned as he saw Yuuki engage in an animated conversation with the vampire noble, reading surprise, caution and finally happy agreement on that friendly handsome face. It was pretty obvious Yuuki had somehow wrangled an invitation for herself to the damned party and Zero didn't like it one bit.

He couldn't help noticing Yuuki's excited smile as they walked back to the main building, after the vampires had gone safely to class and the Day Class students safely to their dorms.

"What's up, Yuuki?" he asked.

"What? Oh, nothing much… really…" muttered Yuuki.

Zero's eyebrow lifted. "Really?" Then, as Yuuki remained silent, he pressed her. "Would it have anything to do with your little talk with Ichijo?"

"Uh, yeah…" Yuuki looked down at the ground.

"Well?"

"Uh, the Night Class is planning a, uh, surprise birthday party for Kaname-sempai, and um…" mumbled Yuuki, already knowing Zero's reaction.

He snorted loudly. "You're not planning on going, are you?" he asked.

"Well, actually… we both are" Yuuki confirmed.

Zero inhaled sharply. "Who's 'we'?" he asked, even though he knew.

Yuuki smiled innocently up at him. "You and me, of course" she said sunnily and left Zero standing where he was, frowning ferociously. He should've known of course… And there was no way he'd be letting her go by herself even if he _hadn't _been invited but still… Zero reached under his jacket to grasp the cool handle of his Bloody Rose gun.

When he next drank Yuuki's blood, he'd hold her in such a way she would never care for Kuran's arms again, Zero vowed to himself.

- o -

The following evening, Chairman Cross himself helped to watch the class changeover and informed Zero happily that Yuuki had gone shopping with Yori. Zero frowned, suspecting Yuuki had sneaked out to buy Kuran's birthday present. He didn't see her that night either, she'd snuck back and hid in her room, ostensibly to wrap her present. Zero's frown turned to a dark scowl.

He needed to be next to Yuuki. He needed her blood. He needed her.

- o -

The surprise party was to be held the following day. Zero was getting increasingly testy and his mood was downright sullen.

Yuuki bit her lip. She had noticed Zero's grumpiness of course, her eyes following him as he slouched in his seat in class. Perhaps he needed her blood? Mentally, she started to calculate how many days it had been since he'd last taken from her… it was during the Physical Education class last week, right? When he'd, well, um… tasted more than just her blood. He'd also tasted her ear, her neck and her - Yuuki hurriedly broke off her thoughts, knowing her blush had flared up again.

Yori leaned closer to Yuuki. "Hey, what's up with Zero-kun, Yuuki? He looks even grumpier than usual… if such a thing were possible" she whispered, turning around to eye Zero suspiciously. He glanced at her as if he could feel her stare, then at Yuuki, then looked down at his book.

Yori glanced at her friend. "And why are you blushing, Yuuki?" A sudden thought struck her. "You wouldn't have anything to do with why Kiriyu is looking so bad tempered now, would you?"

Yuuki changed the subject hurriedly but promised herself she would corner Zero tonight, before they left for the party.

- o -

That evening, Zero and Yuuki prepared to control the usual screaming fan girls stationed outside the Moon Dorm gates.

Aido's eyes fell on the moody School Guardian as soon as he strolled outside the gates, two steps behind Kaname's tall and elegant person. The ex-human looked rather like he could do with a blood tablet or two…

Deliberately, the tousle haired blond waited until Kaname had caught Yuuki's attention, before flirting outrageously with his fan base, causing squeals and appreciative giggles all around. As he'd expected, Zero stormed up to him almost immediately. "No fraternising with the Day Class, Aido" he snapped.

Aido fixed innocent blue eyes on him. "Why, I'm just saying hello to these lovely ladies over here" he purred, before flashing another killer smile at the swooning Day Class girls. Zero barely suppressed a disgusted snarl.

Yuuki noticed that Kaname had lifted his head and was watching over her shoulder, a sudden alert look on his face. She whirled around to see Zero having a terse exchange with Aido and she felt a sudden surge of concern. Zero looked tense, pale and she realised with a start that he looked like he badly needed blood. And soon.

"Aido" Kaname's voice was soft but Aido heard it as clearly as if he'd been standing right next to the Dorm Leader. "Let's go to class now…" it sounded like a softly spoken suggestion but Aido knew better and he gave a last wave of his hand before obediently walking over to Kaname's side.

Yuuki smiled a goodbye to Kaname before moving over to Zero's side. "Hey, you OK?" she asked softly.

Zero ignored the Day Class girls still waving at their idol and inhaled deeply, trying to slow down his breathing. Yuuki's soft scent calmed him down a little. "Yeah, let's go back…" The smitten Day Class students had finally started to drift back to the Sun Dorms as the white-clad Night Class students made their way to the classrooms.

Yuuki nodded her agreement and they started moving back quickly towards the main building.

As they walked past the corridor leading to their rooms, Chairman Cross poked his head out of the kitchen door. "Yuuki? Could you help me get dinner ready, please? The hunter council has called for another meeting tonight. Again." The older man sighed, looking rather tired.

Yuuki hesitated and turned back to Zero. He sighed soundlessly and nodded. "Go ahead, Yuuki" he murmured, giving her shoulder a small squeeze before walking off to his room, trying to hide his disappointment.

- o -

Preparations for dinner took rather longer than expected. Halfway through, the Chairman suddenly remembered he had to submit a report and left the cooking to Yuuki while he searched for the misplaced report. Zero wandered back to the kitchen and found Yuuki frantically slicing vegetables while cursing under her breath at a smoking pot on the stove. Zero came just in time to prevent a possible catastrophe.

Their Father excused himself and left as soon as he'd finished eating. By the time Yuuki had hurriedly cleared up the dishes and Zero had gone for a quick round of patrol, she'd forgotten about Zero's need for blood and was busy making herself look good after a quick shower.

The party was only a short one and would be held during the break in lessons at the empty block of classrooms that was normally only used for the Day Class students.

Yuuki hummed to herself as she put on a new dress, spring green with short puffed sleeves and a wide skirt that fell just above her knees. It had delicate gold embroidery and her gold high heeled sandals went well with it.

Zero raced through his shower then spent a good fifteen minutes pacing up and down the corridor and wondering if Yuuki had forgotten about his bloodlust. When she finally opened her door however, he forgot about it himself.

The look on Zero's face alone was worth the price of the dress, thought Yuuki, smiling happily. However, his look of open admiration soon turned sullen again. "It's only a small gathering, Yuuki" he muttered, jealous of the trouble she'd taken over her appearance. And all for _Kuran_. He was on the verge of saying more but the sudden, slightly stricken look on Yuuki's face stopped him. And reminded him of the time he'd completely wiped the happy smile off her face with a thoughtless remark during the night of the past dance.

Zero swallowed his next cutting remark. "You look beautiful, Yuuki…" he murmured, taking her hand and tucking it in the crook of his arm. Her radiant smile thanked him and Zero resigned himself to controlling his bloodlust until after the party.

Yuuki squeezed his arm briefly. "I'm sorry, Zero. But the part's starting now. We'll do it afterwards, OK?" she asked softly, making a mental note to change into the yellow satin pyjamas beforehand.

Zero nodded. Yuuki could be amazingly perceptive about some things… and completely in the dark about others… like how he felt about her, for example…

-- End --


	29. Chap 14: Going Too Far Part 2

**Author Notes: **OK, Part 2 was a lot easier to write than I expected so here it is! Enjoy…

**Disclaimer: **Refer to my previous chapters...

-- Start --

Yuuki couldn't walk at her usual speed with her high heels and Zero willingly slowed down his steps to match hers. When they finally neared the block of unused classrooms, they could see that the party was being held in one of the classrooms on the first floor, since slivers of muted yellow light showed between the drawn curtains at the windows, its soft glow far more gentle on vampire eyes than bright fluorescent lighting would have been.

Yuuki's steps slowed down a little more and her fingers clutched tighter on the small present she was holding, her other hand still tucked into Zero's arm. She wanted to see Kaname-sempai again and wish him Happy Birthday of course, but she was suddenly a little shy of actually walking into the classroom, knowing the other vampire elite would be there as well. What if Kaname-sempai _didn't _want them to be there? After all, it was only meant for the Night Class to attend… Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea after all – and she had practically forced Ichijo-sempai to invite her out of good manners…

Unconsciously, Yuuki's fingers tightened on Zero's arm and he glanced down at her as they neared the building. "Having second thoughts?" he asked softly. He didn't need her to answer, he could see the uncertainty on her face. "We could always turn back…" he added.

Yuuki hesitated, then shook her head. "No… we're already here. We'll just stay a while, OK?" she said, giving Zero a small smile. Zero smiled back but it disappeared when his eyes wandered again to the small gold wrapped present in her hand. Yuuki looked ahead resolutely. She didn't plan on telling him what it contained.

When they reached the landing of the first floor, the classroom door opened to reveal the tall figure of Ichijo Takuma – polite, charming, and as usual, completely un-vampire-like. "Yuuki-chan! And Zero-kun!" he greeted with a dazzling smile, making Yuuki blink. He opened the door wider and gestured gracefully for them to enter.

Yuuki smiled and greeted him cheerfully while Zero remained silent, offering nothing more than a brief nod. His jaw clenched as he remembered the moment when the handsome Assistant Dorm Leader had pulled Yuuki close to his body as they danced previously. He'd looked suspiciously intrigued instead of suitably chastened at Zero's furious glare and only pulled back when Kuran had glared at him in turn.

_It was obvious who was higher in the food chain, really…_

All the tables and chairs had been pushed back against one of the walls, leaving a clear space in the middle of the room. Kaname was standing with his back towards them but he turned around almost immediately, having smelled their scent. The slightly startled look on Kaname's face upon seeing Yuuki and Zero lasted just a second then he moved towards them. Zero's jaw clenched even harder. The way Kuran walked - it just had to be a put on. _No one_, particularly a male, should ever walk _that _well, _that _gracefully.

"Yuuki?"

"Happy Birthday, Kaname-sempai!" said Yuuki happily, blushing prettily as she proffered the present she'd been holding. Zero looked away but heard their exchange all the same. He deliberately put on a bored look as if he was here because he _had _to, not because he _wanted _to.

"My dear, how did you know about…" Kaname sounded a little surprised. "Well, er…" Yuuki began before she broke off, shooting a glance at Takuma who had come to stand beside Kaname. It was obvious she didn't want to get anybody in trouble if Kaname wasn't happy about the situation.

"Yuuki-chan overheard someone talking about the party and I invited her, Kaname" explained Takuma a little ruefully. "I thought it would surprise you…"

Kaname raised an eyebrow at this but shook his head slightly when he saw his friend about to apologise. Then the pureblood turned back to Yuuki and smiled, taking the present before raising her small hand to his warm lips. "Thank you, Yuuki… this is such a delightful surprise" he murmured. "And of course, you look beautiful."

Zero swallowed a sudden flash of jealous rage as well as the growl that tried to escape from his throat. He'd said that to Yuuki too, hadn't he? Suddenly, he couldn't quite remember if he had… But he'd thought it for sure. He had.

"Kiriyu-kun…" murmured the low velvety voice as Kaname looked up at him over the top of Yuuki's head, which still barely came up to his shoulder despite her heels. The dark eyes were amused and collected, and Zero again felt that sudden hot surge in his chest. He knew he – they – shouldn't have come here.

All the vampire nobles were looking at him now, waiting to see his reaction and hear his greeting to their pureblood leader. Zero could sense their slight curiosity mixed with anticipation of whether he would be sufficiently cowed to greet Kaname cordially – after all, he was at their party… on their turf, so to speak. And Zero couldn't help but respond in kind.

Amethyst eyes sparking intense dislike, he gave an almost imperceptible nod of his head and deliberately looked away without saying anything, his lips twisting in a slight sneer. It was an insulting gesture which Zero was actually glad Yuuki hadn't witnessed. And surprisingly, it actually made him feel a little uncomfortable at his own rudeness. He felt even more uneasy as another memory of the same past dance surfaced in his head – the moment when Yuuki had told him that it was _Kaname _who had helped her find _him_, thereby giving Zero the longed-for chance to dance with her. And how he'd sought out the pureblood's attention to give him that silent acknowledgement… almost of thanks. And that graceful nod he'd gotten in return before Kaname had actually left the hall with Takuma… almost as if he were entrusting Yuuki to Zero's care.

Zero froze for a moment, feeling hot and cold, gripped by a strange and sudden need to apologise to Kaname. _What the hell for?! _He squashed that thought as soon as it had formed in his mind, aghast that he'd even thought of it. Instinctively, he glanced at Kaname again and could have sworn the pureblood had somehow read his mind, because a faint amusement now lurked in the dark chocolate depths as if their owner knew what Zero was thinking, and for some strange unfathomable reason, had not taken any offense at the deliberate slight…

Despite himself, Zero flushed a little guiltily and forced his gaze elsewhere, shutting out the murmur of Kuran's low voice now mixed with Yuuki's higher treble. He found himself looking at Takuma instead. The hazel eyes were a little stunned and understandably annoyed but surprisingly, held a note of understanding as well. Zero wasn't sure if Kaname had told his friend how Zero actually felt about Yuuki but somehow, that look on Takuma's face told him that the vampire noble knew anyway… and that knowing gaze both calmed and unsettled him.

Zero turned his head and encountered Seiren's countenance. She acted as Kaname's bodyguard although for what reason, Zero didn't know because surely Kaname was more than capable of taking care of himself. Her expression was blank – that girl could teach Zero a thing or two about masking your feelings… but that wasn't new to him, she was like a robot. Even when he'd threatened Kaname previously with his Bloody Rose pointed straight at his forehead, Seiren's face hadn't shown any emotion as she drew a few drops of Zero's blood from his neck with her sharp nails, in warning.

But someone was giving him a much fiercer glare than any of the others. And even without looking, Zero knew who it was. Hanabusa Aido. Those blue eyes were neither lazy nor flirtatious now – they were filled with violent dislike and anger. Zero even felt the very air around him turn frosty as the vampire noble's ice power acted up a little under his stirred up emotions. He could practically _feel _Aido shaking with rage at the slight towards his beloved leader. And Zero knew Aido was aware of the fact that Zero was a vampire – Yuuki had told him of their exchange when the impetuous blond had tried to run away from the Moon Dorm previously and had ended eating dinner prepared by them both.

Yuuki looked up now and stepped away from Kaname's embrace. She could feel the sudden silent and cold tension in the room and saw all the Night Class students staring at Zero. Yuuki glanced at him as well, sensing the sheer anger emanating from him, beyond his normal annoyance this time. Quickly, she turned back to Kaname, whose dark eyes had swept around the room quickly, sensing the tension as well and gauging the amount of animosity from each student. Then he glanced down and saw the distressed look in Yuuki's wide eyes. The pureblood squeezed her hand reassuringly then spoke up, his voice reassuring. Calm.

"Well, now that we're all gathered here for my surprise party, let's get it going, shall we… there's only half an hour left before the next lesson starts."

Amidst muted groans, the Night Class students stirred themselves and the silent tension dissipated. It was almost… magical… how it happened. One moment, it seemed like almost everyone was glaring daggers at Zero and now… the Night Class nobles studiously ignored both him and Yuuki as they went about getting the party started. Takuma went to the classroom next door to retrieve the enormous two layer cake he'd placed there earlier, while others started pouring out glasses of ruby red wine and opening trays of fresh pastries and expensive imported chocolates.

Kaname continued to keep Yuuki by his side and Zero retreated to a dark corner of the room, leaning against the wall with his hands in his trouser pockets, wishing he and Yuuki were already back in the main building and far away from any of the Night Class students.

Someone handed him a glass of wine. It smelled a little… off…, thought Zero as he sniffed the liquid content suspiciously. "That's because it contains dissolved blood tablets…" Takuma said quietly as he materialised beside Zero. Startled amethyst eyes met perceptive hazel ones for moment, before the Assistant Dorm Leader moved away again.

Zero gazed after him, startled for the second time tonight. So Takuma did know what he was… and how he reacted to the tablets. Zero put the glass down on a nearby desk. He noticed that no one had passed a glass of the wine to Yuuki either, not that she appeared to have noticed.

One of the girls had brought a portable CD player and the lilting strains of a waltz filled the air although the volume was kept moderate. Zero's eyebrows went up. The Night Class snobs apparently preferred classical to modern dance and some of the students paired up laughingly and began an impromptu waltz in the middle of the room, moving with fluid grace.

Again, the dancing couples – although dressed in immaculately white school uniforms - brought Zero back to the night of the dance when he and Yuuki had held each other tight. Involuntarily, his eyes sought out Yuuki's. She was also leaning quietly against the wall on the other side of the room, Kaname occupied for the moment with accepting handshakes and good wishes from some of the other students. As if she could feel his gaze, Yuuki turned her head to look at him. A soft smile formed on her lips and she winked at him briefly. Zero felt his anger and discomfort vanish in an instant. _She remembered too…_

But he scowled once more as Kaname approached Yuuki and led her to the middle of the room to join in what was left of the waltz. The pureblood's steps were faultless and Yuuki smiled up at him. _No… she'd forgotten… _Zero was too caught up to notice that Aido was once again watching him again from the other side of the room.

As soon as the dance ended, the door classroom opened and one of the Night Class teachers looked in, frowning slightly. "Kuran-sama…" he requested quietly, nodding his head respectfully. Kaname excused himself to Yuuki and left the room with the teacher.

Zero pushed himself off the wall and walked towards Yuuki but Aido was faster, his eyes gleaming with subtle mischief. "May I have this dance, Yuuki?" he asked, smiling innocently as he bent over her hand.

Yuuki glanced up into Zero's frustrated eyes over the top of the tousled blond curls. "Well, uh…" she murmured, not really wanting to annoy the playboy vampire by refusing him outright. After all, it wasn't as if he'd do anything other than dance with her…

Zero found himself glaring impotently at Aido, his hands clenched into tight fists again as the vampire noble led Yuuki to the floor. Aido was well aware of the glare - in fact, he half expected the curls at the back of his head to start smoking at any minute. "Well, Cross Yuuki" he bent forward to murmur softly in her ear "…you're very brave to come to this party all by yourself…"

Yuuki fixed him with an unimpressed look. "Zero is here too…"

Aido smiled lazily. "Ah yes, Kiriyu-kun of course. Your, er – guardian…" Yuuki narrowed her eyes at him. "He is _not _my guardian" she said, rather primly.

"Oh… er, boyfriend perhaps?"

"No, of course not!" Yuuki could feel her face starting to heat up. Zero wasn't her boyfriend! He was just a very, very close friend of hers, that was all. _And someone you've kissed numerous times… among other things… _a sly voice whispered in her brain, causing Yuuki to blush even more.

"Really?" drawled Aido, suppressing a grin. This Cross girl was just too easy to manipulate…

"Then he wouldn't mind if I just… steal a kiss…" he murmured. Yuuki gasped in surprise and tried to pull away but Aido was not above using his vampire strength or powers and she felt his hand clasping hers suddenly turn to ice, freezing her to him. Yuuki struggled to free herself. "Let go of me, Aido! Now!" she snapped.

Aido swung them around, wanting to see the look on Kiriyu's face. He heard a soft clinking sound and found himself suddenly staring up into the barrel of the Bloody Rose gun, its chains pulled taut, Zero's furious amethyst eyes narrowed right above it. Both the gun and Zero's gaze were steady on him, as was the thumb that slid back the gun's safety catch. The resultant click was soft but clearly audible to everyone there.

The room was filled with tension once more as the students noticed what was happening and ceased dancing and talking. Someone had stopped the CD player as well and there was now absolute silence in the room as both Zero and Aido glared heatedly at each other.

"Er, guys…" began Yuuki nervously, her eyes shooting between them. She twisted her hand again and was successful this time as Aido's attention had shifted to Zero. Massaging her frozen fingers with her other hand, Yuuki tried again "OK, that's enough. Zero, put down the gun…"

Takuma came over hurriedly, his eyes troubled. "Aido?" he asked. Aido ignored him.

Yuuki moved to Zero's side. "It's OK…" she said softly, pulling at his jacket sleeve. He ignored her.

"Zero, please keep the gun" she said again, louder. Without blinking, Zero withdrew the gun slowly, putting back the safety catch as he did so.

Aido was angry, relieved and embarrassed at the same time and he lashed out impulsively. "Yeah, you do that, Kiriyu… listen to what Yuuki tells you to do…"

In half a second, the barrel of the Bloody Rose gun was pressed against Aido's forehead, dead centre, as the safety catch was released for the second time.

"Zero, please…!" Yuuki's eyes were wide with alarm. She could hear his ragged breathing and she could see his fangs lengthening a little as his lips pulled back in a snarl. It was a good thing they happened to be positioned with Zero's back facing the room.

"Zero-kun…" Takuma's voice was calm, even authoritative, although his face was not. Zero glanced sideways at him, seeing the look of warning mixed with faint alarm in the hazel eyes, before he turned to look at Yuuki. The same look of alarm was mirrored in her large brown eyes as well. _Please… _they said. Slowly, Zero lowered his gun and let it hang by his side, his thumb putting the catch back on again.

Aido started breathing once more, as did some of the Night Class students.

"Let's go" said Zero quietly. He knew his fangs had lengthened during the heated exchange and his eyes had likely changed colour as well so he kept his head lowered, not wanting to let any of the other students see his symptoms. Yuuki nodded quickly in agreement and took his left arm in her right hand.

Behind them, Aido was annoyed to find that he was actually very relieved at Takuma's intervention. This realisation made him angrier still and he reached for Yuuki's left arm, intentionally digging his nails in the soft flesh at her wrist and drawing blood.

Zero and Takuma tensed up at the same time as Yuuki. The three of them stared down at the blood welling up from her wrist in disbelief, before looking up to glare at Aido accusingly.

The classroom had turned deathly silent. Each and every vampire in the room had smelled Yuuki's intoxicatingly sweet blood and reacted instinctively to it. Yuuki's wide eyes saw the changes in each of the faces that looked back at her – crimson irises glowing softly, the glint of fangs between parted lips, skin stretched pale and tight over finely sculptured bones.

And as Zero turned around once more to see the reaction of the students, forgetting to shield his eyes this time, Yuuki saw dawning surprise and disbelief on their faces as well. Her heart sank. Now everyone in the room knew that Zero Kiriyu, School Prefect and Guardian, descendent of vampire hunters and defiant vampire hater himself, was also – a vampire.

"Kiriyu's… a vampire?" Ruka Souen, acknowledged blond beauty, stated the obvious - her voice sounding surprised, angered and somehow betrayed at the same time.

Zero had swung around to glare at Aido again, who looked like he was belatedly realising to some extent what he'd inadvertently done. _Shit… he was waist deep in trouble this time, and with Kaname-sama… _Quickly, he released his hand from Yuuki's wrist.

As if on cue, the door burst open and Kaname stood there, dark eyes flashing angrily. He'd smelled Yuuki's blood while taking leave of the teacher and had returned her as fast as he could. His eyes took in the scene at a glance and in the next second, he was already standing in front of Aido, looking down at the vampire noble's bloodstained fingers.

_Shit, shit, shit… _Kaname wasn't just angry, he was _furious_. Aido wasn't waist deep in trouble – he was in right over his head. "What were you doing, Aido?" hissed Kaname, his red eyes boring holes into the suddenly terrified Aido.

Takuma touched Kaname's arm to get his attention and tilted his head at Zero. The pureblood glanced from his friend to Zero, then he shot a warning glare at Aido that pinned him to the spot before turning to face the students who still bore symptoms of bloodlust on their faces.

"Yes, Zero Kiriyu is a made vampire…" confirmed Kaname, his voice quiet, collected. Reassuringly calm. "But he is also a School Guardian here at Cross Academy and his presence is vital to protect the secrets of the Night Class. That means us. Chairman Cross knows about this. I ask you all to help us to ensure it remains a secret, particularly from the Day Class students and teachers."

His dark eyes swept over each student, getting nods and murmurs of "Yes, Kaname-sama" and "Of course, Kaname-sama". No one looked at Zero, Yuuki, or even Aido.

Kaname nodded, holding each student's eyes in turn with his own compelling gaze before turning back to Zero, who was looking as if he didn't know what to do or say. They regarded each other in silence for a moment before the pureblood murmured "Kiriyu-kun, can you please take Yuuki back…"

Zero nodded but didn't say anything. Kaname pulled out a clean handkerchief and wrapped it gently around Yuuki's wrist before placing a graceful hand under her chin to look into her eyes. "Yuuki" he murmured. "I'm sorry for all this… please see to that wrist as soon as you get back."

Yuuki smiled quickly, much relieved by his calm presence. "It's OK, Kaname-sempai…" she said softly, even though she knew it wasn't. One of the biggest secrets of Cross Academy had been revealed and she knew Kaname and her Father had to ensure it spread no further otherwise it could cause irreparable damage to all their hard work in trying to promote peace and understanding between humans and vampires, not to mention the stability of Cross Academy itself.

Yuuki also knew that Aido would be punished accordingly for the part he played in it. Even though she was still angry with his rather childish and impetuous behavior that had caused all this, she didn't actually hate him.

Takuma hustled Zero and Yuuki quickly out of the room, the latter glancing back over her shoulder to give a sympathetic glance at the visibly quaking Aido as Kaname turned back to him.

-- End --

**A/N: **I remember Kaname hinting to Takuma about Zero being a vampire and drinking Yuuki's blood on two separate occasions in the manga, so I'm assuming here that Takuma also knows about Zero's allergy to the blood tablets…


	30. Chap 14: Going Too Far Part 3

**Author Notes: **Here is Part 3... hope it doesn't disappoint!

**Warning: **Part 3 is very 'lemony' hence I've changed the rating of Hold Me to 'M'. If you're not supposed to be reading 'M' rated fiction, then please don't...

**Disclaimer: **Refer to my previous chapters...

-- Start --

Yuuki's heart was still beating faster than usual when they reached the main building and her feet were starting to hurt from the quick pace Zero had set for them. She was now feeling angry at the fact that she'd actually been a little… scared… there at the party, for a moment, before Kaname had returned.

"That Aido - he just _had _to go and spoil everything, hadn't he?" she fumed as they walked down the corridor towards their rooms. She also hadn't wanted to return so soon – after all, she'd gone to the trouble of dressing up… "Otherwise, we could have stayed a while longer…"

It probably wasn't the wisest thing to say under the circumstances and Zero stopped walking and rounded on her immediately, his heartbeat still reacting a little to the tension-filled scene of a few minutes ago at the party. "Stay longer?" he echoed disbelievingly. "How long did you _want _to stay there, Yuuki?" he demanded. "Until we get thrown out by Kuran?"

Yuuki inhaled sharply. "Kaname-sempai would never do that, Zero!" Throw them out – it was unthinkable! He would never do that… well, maybe _escort _them politely out - but not thrown out, surely…

Frowning, she unwrapped Kaname's handkerchief from her wrist, the small cuts from Aido's nails had already stopped bleeding.

Zero saw the cuts. He folded his arms across his chest and glared at her. The little idiot…! She still thinks she's safe in a roomful of vampires! Vampires with aroused bloodlust no less. "You _do _realise that each and everyone of those _creatures _at that party is a vampire, Yuuki? All except yourself?" he said evenly. Do you even realise you are prey… to _them_?! he left this last sentence unsaid, but all the same, it hung in the air between them.

His scornful tone rankled Yuuki – of course she knew that, she wasn't stupid! She placed her hands on her hips and glared right back at Zero. "Of course I know that!"

"And you _do _realise you could've gotten bitten after that stupid stunt Aido pulled?" Zero was fully aware of the danger Yuuki was in, even if she wasn't – he couldn't have missed the crimson hue glowing in each pair of eyes that had stared back at them if he'd tried. Hell, he should know, shouldn't he? He, Zero Kiriyu, was one of them!

Yuuki tossed her head. "Kaname-sempai would never allow it, you know that…"

Zero almost snarled with frustration – Yuuki was being deliberately obtuse about the whole thing. His hands clamped down onto her shoulders, shaking her briefly and none too gently. "Kuran wasn't there, damnit!"

"He'd been called away… it wasn't his fault!" said Yuuki hotly, so angry she almost didn't feel Zero shaking her. He inhaled sharply – he should've known Yuuki would defend Kuran to her dying day…

"You _always _take his side, don't you?" he asked and he couldn't stop the bleak tone from creeping into his voice, his hands falling back to his sides. Where does that leave me, Yuuki? he added silently.

"No, I don't" said Yuuki at once. "But you're always blaming him for everything!"

Zero was stunned speechless. Always? Always? Since when had he started… no, he did not blame the pureblood leader for everything, did he? He was just… just... Just jealous.

Jealous of how confident and self-assured Kuran always was.

Jealous of the excited smile that lit up Yuuki's face whenever she saw him.

Jealous of the soft blush that shaded Yuuki's cheeks whenever Kuran smiled at her.

Jealous of they way Kuran pulled her into his arms as they danced just now.

Jealous of the willing way Yuuki melted into the pureblood's tender embrace, as though she'd completely forgotten how _his _arms had felt. As though she'd completely forgotten what she'd said about _his _embraces…

"Why, Zero? Why?" asked Yuuki, angry tears starting to fill her eyes. She hated it whenever Zero made sarcastic remarks about Kaname-sempai. And she hated it when the pureblood did the same. Because she cared about both of them. And she didn't even know why she and Zero were fighting in the first place. Needling - yes. Bantering - sure. Trading fond insults – definitely.

But… not outright fighting, surely? It was so… pointless, really…

Zero swallowed hard, still staring at Yuuki. She really doesn't know, does she? he thought numbly. Yuuki really doesn't know how I feel about her… maybe I should just tell her…

Yuuki saw the flickering emotions in Zero's still reddened eyes and she softened despite herself. "Why, Zero…?" she asked again. Why are we even fighting like this?

Zero pushed aside the real reason. "Because he's a vampire, Yuuki! They all are!"

Yuuki frowned. It wasn't Kaname-sempai's fault he was born a vampire, surely? Anymore than it was Zero's fault he was made one… hey, how could Zero accuse Kaname-sempai when…

"You should talk, you're one of them!" she shot back at Zero, forgetting what she'd said a moment ago about it all being pointless.

Zero didn't back down an inch. "Yes, Yuuki. Yes, I am a vampire. I AM one of those blood-sucking creatures damned to hell. So be careful."

In the stunned silence that followed, broken only by their somewhat ragged breathing, Yuuki stared at Zero, hearing the pain in those tersely spoken words. Seeing the torment reflected in the eyes staring straight into hers. Then she looked away, almost burned by the heat radiating out from Zero's pain-filled eyes.

Yuuki didn't know what to say then but she did remember what she was supposed to have given him. "You need blood, Zero… come on" she said softly. They'd stopped right in front of the main bathroom and Yuuki pushed open the door now, her other hand reaching for his. Zero shook it off before stalking into the bathroom and shrugging off his school jacket with angry movements.

Yes. No matter how much he lashed out at her, in the end, it always came down to the same thing – he needed her. He needed Yuuki's blood. And he needed Yuuki. Pure and simple.

Yuuki didn't say anything when Zero shook off her hand. She just stepped in and closed the door behind her. She'd barely turned around when Zero reached out and locked the door.

The resultant click sounded ominously loud in the bathroom and Yuuki frowned up at him. "Zero?" she said. "Why did you – " She broke off startled, dropping the handkerchief as Zero took a step forward, crowding her against the wall. He linked his fingers with hers and pinned her hands on either side of her head against the cool wall tiles.

"Uh, Zero?" was all Yuuki managed to squeak out before Zero dipped his head and claimed her lips in a heated and angry kiss. It wasn't anything like their sweet first kiss at the night of the dance. It wasn't anything like the passionate one they'd shared in her room after Yuuki's nightmare when he'd accidentally nicked her lip with his fangs. It wasn't anything like the other two kisses they'd shared either.

It was rough. Hurtful. Yuuki's lips were parted and Zero took advantage of her surprise to invade her mouth roughly with his tongue, pressing his lips hard against hers, not stopping even when both his fangs pierced her lower lip. Yuuki could suddenly taste her blood but she wasn't sure where exactly was she bleeding from – she couldn't even breathe properly to begin with. She gasped for breath when Zero finally pulled away, glaring down at her.

He was _furious_. And the scent and taste of her blood on his lips made his bloodlust flare sharply.

Yuuki's wide eyes focused dazedly on Zero's lips stained with her own blood and on his partially visible fangs before he swooped down again, releasing one of her hands to tilt her chin up and to the side in a precise, sharp movement. Before Yuuki had time to take more than a surprised breath, she felt Zero's hot breath on her neck and he had bitten down hard on the madly beating pulse at the base of her throat without warning.

"Oooh…!" gasped Yuuki, tears of pain filling her eyes. Zero's fangs had sunk deeply into her flesh and it hurt. He sucked hard at her neck, drinking angrily, hungrily, pressing her harder against the wall, his hand still holding her chin up.

Yuuki was too surprised for a moment to even think of moving. Was Zero _that _angry? Was he pushed _that _far? she wondered. And as he continued drinking from her, she realised something else – if he kept this up, he would take too much from her. And she knew he would never forgive himself for that.

A low growl escaped Zero's throat as he pressed closer and the sound drew a shiver from Yuuki – that sound he made… it was almost… feral… And she could feel he was very aroused as well.

"Zero…?" she said, her voice shaking slightly. "Zero, please… not too fast, you'll make me dizzy…" she pleaded. And don't hold me like this… she cried silently.

Zero _was _furious - with Yuuki. And very hungry for blood – for Yuuki's blood. And very aroused as well - for Yuuki.

His fangs still buried in her flesh, he released her chin and reached behind her back. His hand found the zipper of her dress and pulled it down impatiently. It got stuck halfway and he yanked it down hard, actually causing the delicate material to rip away from the zipper. Yuuki gasped in indignant surprise against his ear – was her precious dress torn? What the hell did Zero think he was doing?!

Zero released her other hand now and pushed down the bodice of her dress together with the strapless bra she wore, baring her to her waist and completely open to his heated gaze. Yuuki looked at him, shock written all over her face as his shaking fingers claimed her breasts carelessly.

A part of Zero knew he wasn't behaving rationally. It was strange… unexplainable… _inexcusable_. He normally wasn't like this, he was always very careful and gentle around Yuuki. He'd stop whenever he felt he had pushed her too much. But now, he couldn't seem to control his desire _or _his bloodlust and he let her struggle further while he sated his thirst at her bleeding neck once more.

Yuuki felt his lips moving from her neck down towards her breasts, leaving a bloody trail on her pale skin. She exhaled shakily at the feel of that hot mouth on her nipple again, shivering as he sucked her almost painfully deep inside his mouth, tongue playing wickedly with the hardened sensitive tip. Yuuki twisted against him helplessly and moaned. "Ze-Zero, please… stop…" Unfortunately, her voice sounded like she didn't _want _him to stop…

Long tormenting moments later, Zero had thoroughly ravished both her breasts and left them swollen, aching and smeared with blood, thankfully, from the bite at her neck, although a couple of scratches from his fangs were also starting to show up on the creamy pale skin. Yuuki was squirming as very unfamiliar and strange feelings started coursing through her, all heading downwards - past her breasts, past her stomach, further down.

Zero's hips had started thrusting against her hard and left her in no doubt of his straining arousal. Yuuki was getting scared. This wasn't at all like the Zero she knew. He'd never been rough with her. Zero was always gentle… kind… tender… But now he was angry and hurting her… No, this couldn't be happening, she refused to believe it!

Her thoughts splintered when Zero reached under her skirt and tried to pull down her lace panties, ripping it away in his haste. The tearing sound made Yuuki freeze and she couldn't move as she felt Zero's searching hand between her thighs. _What was he doing? _

She shivered uncontrollably, she didn't exactly know what Zero thought he was doing, but he… really should… stop… it… She squirmed against him, trying to free herself, panting against his neck and making Zero growl deep and low in his throat. He captured her mouth once more, drawing blood again with his fangs. Tears of pain, confusion and heaven only knew what started to flow freely from Yuuki's eyes as Zero's mouth and hand wrecked havoc on her body and senses. She yelped when Zero pulled away from her bleeding lips and pounced again on the pulse at her neck, the twin wounds still bleeding slightly. He bit her again.

"Zero…" Yuuki gasped. "Please - please stop…" Zero appeared not to have heard her and she started panicking. Wait – a thought flashed into her spinning mind. The charmed bracelet on her left wrist! And the tattoo on Zero's neck! Touching her bracelet to it would immobilise him immediately. The Chairman had given her the bracelet in his study after Zero had bitten her the first time and she still remembered the charm's devastating efficiency when demonstrated at that time.

Yuuki quickly swung her left arm up, aiming for Zero's tattoo, sheer desperation lending her speed but in the end, he was still faster. Even with his face buried in her neck, he somehow knew what she was about to do and his right hand closed around her wrist, fingers sliding instinctively under the chain of the bracelet. Yuuki gave a small cry of alarm as Zero ripped the bracelet from her wrist, breaking the links and leaving abrasions on her delicate skin. He tossed it behind him and Yuuki heard the soft clink as the ruined bracelet hit the far wall before falling to the floor.

Yuuki was past scared by now. "Zero?" she breathed, her eyes shut tight, her voice trembling. "Zero, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, OK? Please… please don't hurt me…" her voice trailed off as she choked back a sob.

For a moment, it seemed like Zero hadn't heard her. Then he lifted his mouth from her neck, his body trembling violently against hers as he breathed raggedly, trying to control himself. Finally, he lifted his head to look into her eyes.

"Yuuki?" Zero said hoarsely as his shocked gaze took in her tear drenched eyes, bleeding and swollen lips before they travelled down to her still bleeding neck. Zero swallowed convulsively, his eyes widening even more. He stepped back, letting Yuuki sag against the wall in relief as his stunned gaze followed the trail of blood from the base of her neck to her breasts and swollen nipples.

Finally, he dragged his gaze up to hers again, stark anguish and guilt reflected in the amethyst depths. "Oh God - I – I did this…?" he breathed, reaching out a shaking hand to cup her cheek, his thumb running lightly over her swollen lips. _Shit. _"I – I'm sorry, Yuuki…"

Yuuki closed her eyes but relieved tears spilled out anyway and she started shivering in reaction.

"Yuuki?" the scared note of concern in Zero's voice made Yuuki open her eyes slowly. "It's OK, Zero…" she whispered tearfully.

"No. No, it's not. It is _not _OK. You should _slap _me for this, you should hate me…" Zero whispered, agony in his eyes and in his shaken, anguished voice. He'd felt her shiver and that caused a fist of pain to twist in his heart. Why had he behaved like that? And to Yuuki, whom he loved most in the world?

Yuuki smiled tremulously. "I should… but I won't slap you" she whispered back. "And you know I can't hate you either…" She cupped his cheek reassuringly with her still trembling hand and he placed his own one over it. Pulling her hand away from his cheek, he stared at it, his face paling even further as he caught sight of the abrasion where the bracelet had bitten into her skin. Dimly, he remembered snatching off the trinket and flinging it behind him, out of her reach, taking away her only means of defense against him.

Dear God, how he must have scared her…

Lightly, Zero ran his thumb over the cut as he looked up and started to apologise again. Yuuki pressed gentle and trembling fingers against his bloodstained lips. "Don't say it again… please…" she whispered, knowing he was hurting as much as she was. Zero nodded painfully, swallowing again.

They stared at each other, reading pain, regret and forgiveness in each other's eyes. Zero hesitated for a moment, then he dipped his head again and kissed Yuuki. It was a soft gentle kiss of humble apology at the horrible way he'd treated her and Yuuki accepted it as such, her eyes closing as her lips parted willingly. She also wanted to erase the memory of the past few minutes and overwrite that uncaring brutal kiss with this sweet and gentle one, even though it was still flavoured with the coppery taste of her own blood.

But the kiss remained gentle for only a few seconds before passion grew and the kiss heated up. Zero's arms closed around Yuuki's shoulders, hers, around his waist. He dipped his head to gently kiss and lick the deep wounds he'd created at the base of her neck as his shaking hands found her breasts again. This time, he cherished their sweet weight gently and his thumbs stroked her sensitive nipples with tender care, making Yuuki moan softly against his mouth. She wanted to touch Zero as well and her trembling hands undid the buttons of his school shirt before reaching in to slide her soft palms over his smooth shoulders and toned chest, making him sigh with pleasure.

Zero bent his head further, using his tongue to clean off the trail of blood he'd left on her skin until he reached her breasts. He licked off the blood from her nipples before gently taking each one into his mouth again in turn. Yuuki's breath hitched repeatedly in her throat as she arched against his mouth and started squirming. She was starting to feel rather… uncomfortable… in certain places that she couldn't even mention.

Zero's hands encircled Yuuki's slender waist, lifting her up further against the wall, his hips keeping her there. He dipped his head and worshipped her breasts again lovingly with his lips and tongue, causing Yuuki to cradle his head in shaking hands and hold him close as she moaned deep in her throat.

Still keeping her pinned against the wall, Zero pulled up her skirt. Yuuki's soft moans turned into a sharp gasp, her eyes snapping open as she felt Zero's hand nudging her thighs apart. Not roughly this time but purposefully. Oh God, he was going to touch her? There?!

"Uh – Ze-Zero? What are – aaah…!" Yuuki ended her protest on a groan as Zero's questing fingers searched and found. Glided and stroked. His touch made Yuuki shiver helplessly and her soft moans against his ear incited him to continue with what he was doing. Yuuki twisted against him, frightened and aroused at the same time, almost sobbing as her innocent mind spun helplessly without any coherent thought.

Zero's mind was spinning as well. He could feel Yuuki's readiness, he could smell her arousal as sharply as he could his own. He was past caring whether she loved him or not, he only cared that she wanted this as much as he did.

Pressing the palm of one hand against Yuuki's stomach to keep her pinned to the wall, Zero kissed her again, his other hand frantically undoing his trousers. The dark material fell past his slim hips to pool around his ankles and he pressed up against her again, exulting in the feel of his naked flesh against Yuuki's. He wanted her badly.

Yuuki was trembling violently in Zero's embrace. Pinned against the tiled wall, feet dangling above the floor, she grasped his shoulders, panting, her fingernails digging into the muscled flesh as his hand reached down again and his thumb continued to do unimaginable things to her. Then his hand slid to her knee, pulling it up. Zero angled his hips and started pushing up against Yuuki. She gasped again as he started to push slowly into her.

Yuuki's eyes widened in complete shock – oh God, he wasn't… he couldn't be… but there was no denying the hard alien fullness starting to fill her, stretch her. Zero's breathing was loud, harsh and ragged against her ear, his heart hammering wildly against hers, his naked chest slick with sweat against her breasts.

No – no, she didn't want this, thought Yuuki. Well, she did but not - not _now_. This was all happening too sudden, too fast… they weren't even a _couple_, for goodness' sake… She tensed up, her breath coming in painful gasps.

Zero was trembling violently with the effort not to slam hard into Yuuki – she was so _damn tight _and he actually felt he might explode before he went any further. He paused to inhale deeply before continuing to push forward and upward as slowly as he could. Something stopped him. He paused again for a couple of seconds, his heart slamming in his chest, before trying once more. There was… something… there that prevented him from fully entering her. Zero gritted his teeth and pushed harder, making Yuuki whimper. He heard it but it didn't register in his lust fogged brain and he pushed up again, harder.

Yuuki's sharp cry of pain, the sudden slash of her nails across the back of his shoulders, the bite of her teeth on his skin and the way she held herself stiffly in his arms finally registered.

Zero stopped moving, panting. "Y-Yuuki…?" he asked hoarsely.

"It… it hurts…" whimpered Yuuki against his shoulder as she dug her nails even deeper into his flesh. "Zero, please… please don't… Please stop…" she whispered shakily then started to sob. The entire experience had been rather too much for her and despite how her body was feeling, she just wanted it all to _stop. Now._

Yuuki's words brought Zero to his senses faster than a bucket of cold water thrown over him. Dear God - what had he been on the verge of doing? What was he thinking?

His heart hammering in his throat as a fiery ball of dread started sinking in his stomach, Zero slowly eased out from her, lowering her gently to the floor. Yuuki's legs couldn't hold her anymore and she slid down the wall to collapse on the tiled floor, sobbing quietly.

Zero stared down at Yuuki's bowed head as she wrapped trembling arms around herself. His mind now in agony over what he'd almost done, he whispered "Yuuki…?" She shook her head, not looking at him. He wanted to say something, do something but he couldn't think beyond the pounding aching need of his own body, too far gone to stop it and already on the brink of satisfaction. Muttering a fervent curse, Zero swung away from Yuuki and hurried to the toilet bowl a few feet away.

Yuuki blinked and raised her head hesitantly, realising Zero had moved away from her. His back was towards her now and he was… he was… Yuuki actually stared for a few moments before her stunned brain told her exactly what Zero was doing, even though the jerky hand movements and harsh panting breath were quite… self-explanatory.

For a second, sheer curiosity prompted Yuuki to push herself up and lean sideways, straining to see what Zero was doing. He froze suddenly, his other hand clenched into a tight fist against the wall as he bent over and groaned. Silvery liquid arched away from him into the toilet bowl and a strange musky scent reached Yuuki's nose. Her cheeks flushed even more - that sound Zero had uttered, it was as if he were in pain…

Zero was completely helpless in the throes of ecstasy that claimed his body and long shivering moments passed before the shudders turned to trembles and his breathing slowed down and quietened. Exhaling rather shakily – the fact that he'd been kissing and caressing Yuuki instead of simply imagining her had made this session more profound than his other ones - Zero wiped sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand before turning back to Yuuki.

Immediately, she shrank back against the wall, automatically hugging herself again to shield her naked chest. Zero met her gaze and took a step forward. He stopped warily when Yuuki gasped, shaking her head slightly, her eyes moving from his hips to his face and back again.

"Yuuki?"

Silently, she stared at him, her eyes huge. Haunted.

"Shhh, it's OK, it's all right…" Zero said softly, coaxingly, slowly reaching his hand out to Yuuki. She stilled, staring at his hand as if it were a poisonous snake about to strike but she didn't move away. Zero closed the gap between them and knelt down slowly on her left, his left hand pressing her head gently to his chest, his other hand rubbing her naked back in soothing gentle circles until he felt her relax against him. Then he reached under her skirt again, fingers seeking.

Yuuki stiffened, colour high in her cheeks as she looked up at him. "Zero…?" she breathed, inhaling sharply as his fingers started stroking her again, re-igniting the fire he'd started earlier. "Wh - what…?" His touch was very gentle now and that made her pause uncertainly.

"Hush…" Zero murmured. He was very new at his, but instinctively, he kept his gaze on her flushed face, watching closely for the subtle signs that would tell him if he was doing it right. "Help me, Yuuki" he whispered. "Tell me if you like - this…" he added as he starting stroking her more firmly. Her involuntary moan told him she did and a feeling of intense triumph rippled through him as he watched Yuuki close her eyes, mewling softly and shifting restlessly against him. Her movements grew more agitated and Zero knew she was close to satisfaction, feeling the swollen fullness against his now slicked fingers, his nostrils full of her musky scent of arousal, driving away his own.

Then Yuuki tensed, exhaling sharply, her eyes opening wide to stare straight into his own for a heartbeat before her hand flew to his, trapping him tightly against her as shudders of pleasure wracked her body, making her shiver violently. Yuuki shut her eyes tightly, gasping and panting as her body shook helplessly, almost frightened at the intensity of feelings she'd never before experienced.

Long seconds passed as the tremors subsided with exquisite slowness, Yuuki burying her hot face in Zero's chest as he kept his arm around her, rocking her silently. After a while, Zero slowly removed his hand from under her skirt and Yuuki looked up to see him licking his fingers clean, savouring her intoxicatingly sweet scent. Her mouth fell open - Zero caught her shocked look and stopped immediately, like someone caught in the act of stealing. Yuuki uttered an embarrassed moan as her gaze locked onto the moisture still glistening on Zero's fingers. He lowered his hand and they stared at each other for a long moment.

Zero didn't know what to say - the experience, even though separate, had been shocking enough for both of them.

Then Yuuki's wide eyes, still wet from her recent tears, still hazy with sated desire, started to fill with an emotion that made Zero's heart suddenly drop to the bottom of his feet.

_Fear._

He knelt there, stunned, as Yuuki suddenly tore herself away from his embrace, scooting backwards until she hit the wall, staring at him as if he'd suddenly sprouted horns. Oh God oh God oh God, she'd actually let Zero – Zero! – _touch _her. There – _there!_

"Yuuki…" Zero reached out for her but froze to the spot when she flung up a hand as if to ward off a blow, flinching.

She actually _flinched_…! She'd never before…

Zero stared at Yuuki in shock, seeing the fear now dominating and overriding any other emotion in her eyes. She was watching him like a rabbit trapped in the glare of a hungry serpent and he felt sudden despair, deeper and stronger than the moment he knew the pureblood's bite had turned him into a vampire…

A soft sob escaped from Yuuki before she clapped her hands over her mouth. "No… Zero… oh God no…" she whispered, tears welling up and spilling over her cheeks before she whirled around and got up unsteadily, making for the door. She twisted the doorknob frantically in her trembling hands, her sobs growing louder when the door refused to open. Finally, she remembered it was locked. Throwing a panicked glance over her shoulder at a stunned Zero, Yuuki finally managed to unlock the door and wrench it open. Zero just stared up at her numbly as she uttered a choked cry of relief and ran down the corridor towards her room. He heard the slam of her door and even the resultant click as she locked it.

Silent tears gathered in Zero's pained amethyst eyes and slowly fell unheeded down his pale cheeks. He'd only seen fear in Yuuki's eyes once – when he's first bitten her – and even then, it had been more shock than fear. This was different, she'd looked at him as if he were a beast that had violated her. There was true fear in her eyes and he wanted to die. Never, never had Yuuki looked at him like that. Not when he was shouting at the Day Class girls, not when he was glaring at her, not when he was scolding her, no, not even when he'd once tried his best to frighten her in the garden storeroom.

Still on his knees, Zero bent forward and rested his forehead on the cool wall tiles. He done something irreversible – he'd lost Yuuki's love and her trust in him…

Heedless of his nakedness, Zero knelt there as if in penance, shivering with cold, before the sounds of the Chairman returning from his late night meeting roused him. Mentally, he pulled himself together and stood up, wincing from kneeling so long on the hard tiles. He flushed the toilet and quickly looking around to ensure the bathroom had no telling bloodstains. Yuuki's ruined bracelet winked at him from the floor and he went over to pick it up, pain tearing through his heart again.

Poor Yuuki – she'd tried to stop him the first time… he remembered her distressed look after touching the bracelet to his tattoo the first time in their Father's study and knew how desperate she must have been to resort to this but he'd torn it away from her. And when he'd come to his senses, he'd only wanted to comfort her. And it had ended up like this – Yuuki fearing him.

Clutching her bracelet in his hand, Zero escaped to his room and sank onto his bed, wondering if Yuuki was still crying in her room. His heart clenched painfully tight in his chest. This was what the Chairman had been afraid of… Zero groaned and buried his face in his hands once more.

And he'd done it.

He'd broken that trust.

Zero shut his eyes tightly, jamming the heels of his palms hard against his closed lids. I would do anything… anything… to reverse what happened… he thought wretchedly.

-- End --


	31. Chap 14: Going Too Far Part 4

**Author Notes: **Part 4... This was a lot longer than expected so there is a Part 5 as well - sorry! The good news is that Part 5 should be ready in a couple of days.

**Disclaimer:** Refer to my previous chapters...

-- Start --

Aido shrank back from the look in Kaname's eyes. All vampires looked dangerous when they were angry or aroused; Kaname was no different. But the dark aura that emanated from his body, you could see it… almost _taste _it and it froze Aido to the spot.

_I'm dead… I'm dead… I'm dead… _these two words ran ceaselessly around in his petrified brain as he stared up at the furious pureblood.

"What the hell were you thinking, Aido?" hissed Kaname as he stared down into the terrified blue eyes. He didn't bother to ask how Aido knew about Zero being a vampire. "Surely you know better than that!"

"Kana – Kaname-sama, I'm sorry! I didn't…" Aido broke off as Kaname's hand made sharp contact with his cheek, sending his head whipping sharply to the side. Kaname slapped him again, backhanded this time and whipping the younger vampire's head to the other side. Tears of pain welled up as Aido bit his already bleeding lip. Kaname knew how to slap, all right. No bones were broken – although they felt like it - but his cheeks absolutely _stung_, his eyes felt like they were about to pop out from their sockets, and his ears were ringing.

Aido inhaled shakily, staring at the floor, feeling his classmates' slightly horrified and sympathetic gazes on him. He was dimly conscious of a certain surge of relief that at least, that ex-human and that Cross girl did not get to witness his utter humiliation. Wouldn't Kiriyu have loved to see this…

"Look at me."

Aido swallowed miserably and forced his head up. Where's your pride, damnit? Show some backbone here…! he chastised himself.

"What happened, Aido?" Kaname looked liked he'd calmed down a little but the still crimson eyes that glared down at Aido said he wasn't at all close to being forgiven at any time soon.

Aido could feel blood trickling down from the corner of his lip but he didn't dare lift his hand to wipe it, or look away from that compelling gaze. He swallowed painfully, knowing both his cheeks were red from shame and from the stinging slaps Kaname had dealt him. Despite that, he wasn't angry with the pureblood. He knew he'd brought this down on himself. Damn his impulsive nature…

"I – I was angry… with Kiriyu" mumbled Aido in a miserable tone, resisting the urge to give a most unmanly sniff.

The dark eyes were unflinching as they bored into Aido and the tousle-haired blond was glad he hadn't bothered to lie. Kaname would've known immediately if he wasn't anything less that painfully and scrupulously honest.

"Why?" asked Kaname. Quietly.

Aido opened his mouth and shut it again. It had started with such a silly reason that he was completely loathe to even mention it. Still…

"He – he told me off…" Aido said, then faltered as the dark eyebrows lifted in mild surprise. "Du-during class changeover…" Aido trailed off again, knowing he didn't need to say more. All the Night Class students were well aware of his large fan base in Cross Academy and how much he adored the attention of the star-struck Day Class girls who lined up daily to catch a glimpse of him.

Kaname sighed soundlessly. So this was caused by that terse exchange between Aido and Kiriyu earlier…

"And I – I was also angry that he'd slighted you, Kaname-sama… just now…" Aido finished, looking down again and sounding like he'd rather be anywhere other than here, doing anything other than being subjected this inquisition by a still furious Kaname, and right in front of everybody else.

Kaname's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. He didn't actually bear the younger vampire any personal grudge. He knew full well what Aido was like – rash, impulsive… It was sometimes difficult to remember that underneath the playboy arrogance mixed with his obvious genius, Aido was actually much younger than most of the other Night Class students. Kaname also knew the high regard Aido had for him, and how he was inclined to take offense at anyone who treated the pureblood with less than total respect. And unfortunately, within the compounds of Cross Academy, that meant Kiriyu…

And now, there was the matter of Aido's actual punishment to consider… Kaname hated doing this. Meting out punishment of any sort went sorely against his gentler nature. He was a pureblood and he didn't have to answer to almost anyone, he was the Moon Dorm Leader and would never be questioned on any orders he chose to give or any punishments he meted out to the Night Class students – an agreement he made with Cross when the Academy started. But he still disliked having to scold or discipline any of the students under his care.

Aido however, had deliberately, or accidentally, disclosed one of Cross Academy's biggest secrets and Kaname had to make absolutely sure it went no further from this room. He had to impress this fact on all the students here tonight. Make sure they knew exactly what they would get if they even _thought _of talking about this anymore. So Aido had to be punished.

"Aido…"

Again, the blond head came up and Kaname almost smiled as he saw Aido's slumped shoulders straighten up in an attempt to take his punishment like a man.

"Today is Friday. For the whole of next week, Monday to Friday, you will rake up all the leaves in the Moon Dorm front and back gardens. Starting at noon. Without a hat or umbrella or any form of protection from the sun. You may however, wear a shirt."

After a final warning look at Aido, whose mouth and shoulders had sagged in disbelief and dismay – midnight being the somewhat equivalent of three in the morning for vampires – Kaname turned back to the other equally stunned students. "We cannot let this secret leak out. Please do not speak anymore of this matter to each other. If you still have any concerns or questions, you may see me privately."

He listened to the varied mutterings of "Yes, Kaname-sama" before inclining his head gracefully, saying "It's almost time for our lessons. Perhaps we can have the cake and wine back at the Moon Dorm after our classes tonight."

It was a nicely worded hint and immediately, some of the students started wrapping back the cake, food and wine. The others started moving the tables and chairs back to their original positions. Aido had disappeared but no one noticed or bothered to mention this.

Takuma approached Kaname then hesitated. The pureblood turned to him. "Yes, Takuma?" he asked quietly.

The Assistant Dorm Leader nodded. It was as good a time as any to speak, under the cover of the general noise of the furniture being moved. "I'm sorry I could not stop this" Takuma apologised but Kaname brushed it aside. "Aido and Kiriyu together make for a rather… explosive… situation" said Kaname, his lips twisting a little. There was a moment of silence, then he asked "Yuuki – was she hurt?"

Both vampires were still speaking very quietly, just in case their words could still be overheard. "No, Yuuki-chan's fine, other than the slight cuts on her wrist. Aido was just… teasing her, I think… "

Kaname nodded thoughtfully. Takuma saw the unspoken question and answered it. "And Kiriyu-kun didn't do or say anything to provoke Aido, either…" murmured Takuma. "Well, other than that insult to you…" he added, being completely honest.

The two vampires looked at each other for a moment, then Kaname smiled. "Thank you" he said quietly.

- o -

The next week was quite truly the longest and worst week Zero had ever experienced. He still saw Yuuki of course, in class, during the class changeover, when they patrolled the grounds and at mealtimes… but it was different now.

A wall had sprung up around Yuuki that he couldn't penetrate. For one thing, she'd finally learnt to hide her emotions and the large warm chocolate eyes that always made Zero feel as if she could see right into his soul were now… blank. Expressionless. They let in nothing and they told him nothing.

She also spoke to Zero only when absolutely necessary and never looked at him directly when she did, but at a an invisible spot just above his left shoulder. He tried, of course, numerous times, to speak to her about that night… but his words would stick in her throat when she looked past him, giving him the impression that he was even less worthy than smallest insect that crawled on the ground. And each time she did so, his aching heart broke just a little more.

On Saturday, the day after the incident, the Chairman noticed the rather abnormal silence during dinner. His jovial remarks, usually responded to by Yuuki and ignored by Zero, were strangely ignored by Yuuki and responded to half-heartedly by Zero. The older man tried to probe a little but had to give up when neither responded.

On Sunday, the Chairman went out to meet an old friend from his hunter days, for dinner. Yuuki had spent the whole day either in her room, or in the Sun Dorm with Yori. Zero did his usual chores, helped out at the stables, then wandered back to the main building as dusk fell but Yuuki had had an early shower and disappeared into her room for the night, with a sandwich as her dinner. Zero tried knocking on her door, received no reply, and ended up fixing dinner for himself that went mostly uneaten. He'd never had a more miserable weekend.

On Monday, the Chairman couldn't help but notice the stony silence as he walked into the kitchen to find Zero and Yuuki eating breakfast and ignoring each other. Well, Yuuki ignoring Zero at least. Concerned, the older man tried to talk to Yuuki but she brushed aside his questions with blithe unconcern, fooling no one. Knowing he would be questioned next, Zero quickly made himself scarce.

That night, the Chairman decided to corner Zero as soon as Yuuki was busy in the kitchen clearing up after yet another awkwardly silent dinner. The older man could not fail to notice that Yuuki was still giving Zero the cold shoulder and that both of them had eaten very little. He turned to Zero, who was already halfway out of his chair.

"Zero, wait a minute.."

The younger man froze, then slowly sat back down, staring at the table, his expression carefully neutral.

The Chairman sighed. "Look at me please…" He waited until Zero reluctantly looked up, his eyes bleak, his face tense and pale.

"What's happened with you and Yuuki?" asked his Father, gently.

The gentle tone almost undid Zero but he kept stoically silent, looking down at the table again, not knowing how to answer.

"Did you two have an argument? A – fight, maybe?" the Chairman asked next.

Zero swallowed and looked up to find his Father's eyes on him, alert and watchful. His glance slid away. "Yeah…" he muttered.

Even though he had more of less suspected it, the older man's eyebrows still shot up. This was surprising – Yuuki adored her adopted brother and he knew for a fact Zero practically worshipped her in return, regardless of the couldn't care less facade he normally put on in public. He also recalled the rather sweet picture they'd made sleeping on the living room sofa a couple of weeks ago during that heavy thunderstorm, Yuuki half sprawled on top of Zero and his arm wrapped protectively around her shoulders.

The Chairman found himself phrasing his next question carefully – it probably had something to do with Kaname - but Zero was faster than him. Muttering something about pending assignments and upcoming exams, he escaped to his room. He knew this would only make his Father more suspicious of him but Zero was past caring what anyone thought.

He was in his own private hell.

The one he'd brought down on himself.

- o -

On Tuesday, Zero discovered he wasn't the only one trapped in hell. Since Yuuki's new lunch partner was Yori, he'd wandered around during his lunch break, his heavy scowl clearing a path for him as if by magic as the Day Class students kept well out of his way.

Without conscious thought, he realised his steps had carried him to the Moon Dorms. Carelessly sweeping his gaze over the quiet compound, Zero saw someone in the front garden who appeared to be raking up fallen leaves. His first thought was that it was the gardener, although he knew for a fact that the cheerful man in his mid-forties normally preferred working in the cool hours of the morning. But there was something very familiar about that head of tousled blond curls…

Zero took a few steps closer and stopped by the fence, gaping at the sight of a red-faced Hanabusa Aido, studiously but unskilfully raking up leaves. He was actually spreading more than he collected and his cursing was even audible from where Zero stood. The young vampire noble was perspiring heavily, dressed in a white long sleeve T-shirt and cotton trousers. He wasn't wearing a hat or even a pair of sunglasses. Zero shook his head slightly at the never before seen side of Aido – was the sunburnt look in now?

Sensing someone was looking at him, Aido paused in his earnest attempts, then looked up to squint at Zero, his eyes watering in the bright sunlight. His already flushed cheeks deepened as he encountered the latter's surprised gaze and he bit his lip before bursting out "What're you looking at?"

Something about the angry and mortified look on the playboy vampire's face… Zero realised that Aido would've been one of the last Night Class students to wake up before the sun went down. To get up at _midday_, stand out in the _hot _sunlight sans hat or any form of protection, just to _rake leaves_, of all things…

Zero shoved his hands in his trouser pockets, careful to keep within the shade of a nearby tree. Possibly due to the depressed state he was in, he couldn't even find it in himself to be rude or sarcastic to the heavily perspiring vampire noble, still clutching the rake. Kaname knew how to pick his punishments, and surprisingly, Zero even felt a small surge of sympathy for Aido – how strange. It must be due to the hellish state he was in right now…

"How long is this going to continue?" asked Zero quietly, after a moment of slightly awkward silence between them.

Aido continued to eye him suspiciously before he answered. "One week, until this Friday…" He hesitated, then asked "Are you going to let them know? The – the Day Class girls, I mean…" He bit his lip as Zero kept silent.

Then, it was Aido's turn to be surprised as the other vampire shook his head, then turned to go.

After a moment, Aido spoke up "Hey… Kiriyu…"

Zero turned back to face the younger vampire. "Tell Yuuki… I'm sorry" said Aido in a rush, causing Zero to stare at him in surprise. "I mean it… and I – I didn't mean to blurt out your secret either…" he continued.

Zero took a step closer and realised that the blue eyes were serious and sincere. He hesitated, then nodded silently.

Aido nodded in return and frowned a little. The ex-human looked absolutely miserable, like he was expecting to be sentenced to death at any minute. Aido wasn't sure why - even the sight of him being punished, and his apology didn't seem to have helped.

"Hey, you OK?" he asked curiously. Zero was looking at the ground but he looked up at the question, amethyst eyes blazing with pain, guilt and sheer wretchedness. Aido dropped the rake in surprise and while he was bending down to retrieve it, Zero had walked off.

Surprised, the young vampire noble gazed after him, before returning his attention to the fallen leaves again, swiping absently at the sweat that trickled down his face. He'd tried summoning up his ice powers but under the glare of the sun, it took up too much of his precious energy…

That evening, Aido was unceremoniously woken up by a series of sharp jabs in the ribs by his room mate and cousin. He groaned sleepily - it seemed like he'd just fallen asleep two seconds ago. He uttered a louder and more heartfelt groan as Kain dropped something heavy on him. Aido opened his eyes a little and squinted at the large hardcover book lying on his bare chest.

'Wha - …" he mumbled, before blinking his bleary eyes to focus on the book title – "Gardening Made Easy". Aido glared up at Kain. "Hey, that hurt…" he complained, even as he sat up and started leafing through the book - there was sure to be a chapter on raking leaves...

Kain grinned unrepentantly at him. "I got it from the library" he explained. "Actually, someone dropped it on top of my notes while I was at the washroom…" he added, shrugging carelessly as he walked back to his bed, missing the startled look on his cousin's face.

- o -

On Wednesday, it finally occurred to Zero that he would be in big trouble if Yuuki decided not to give him any more of her blood. He could get fresh blood elsewhere, he knew – the Chairman, for one… if he didn't shoot him on sight, knowing what he'd done, that is – but it was more than just her blood, it was the _closeness _with Yuuki he would miss, how he could hold her as tight and as close and as long as he wanted, how his mask of indifference just crumbled before her and enabled him to say things he meant rather than sarcastic or rude remarks he said in front of others, how the love and understanding in her eyes, the gentle tone of her voice, the tender way she held him made him _believe _that he was more than just an ex-human turned vampire, more than just a pesky brother, sometime, even more than just a friend…

By this time, practically every single Day Class student and even a few of the more perceptive Night Class ones knew there was something going on between the two School Prefects. That moody one, Zero Kiriyu, was forever trying to get Yuuki's attention, and she was steadfastly ignoring him pointedly. Even Yori had started to look rather distressed, trying to get her friend to patch things up. Couldn't she see how much Zero was hurting? Everyone else could…

"Yuuki, you need to talk to him" she said during their lunch break. They were both sitting at one of the tables in the school cafeteria, and just like the past couple of days, Yuuki was occupied with pushing the uneaten food around her plate. She was starting to look rather peaky.

"No!" Yuuki's tone was adamant, at odds with the listless way she toyed with her food.

"Why not?" asked Yori curiously. Then, as her friend kept silent, she added "I mean, look at Zero-kun, he's so miserable! Talk to him already!" The person in question was walking past them, hands shoved deep in his trouser pockets. His fine silver hair half hid his eyes but Yori could seem them trained on Yuuki, his face grim and his eyes bleak.

"I can't!" Yuuki's voice was a loud agonised whisper and Yori was startled to see a sudden flash of what looked like embarrassment and confusion in those large brown eyes.

"I can't…" Yuuki whispered again, looking down once more. Yori bit her lip as she stared at the bowed head of her friend. It was obvious something had happened between them both, and she didn't know what it was. All she knew was that both of them were both hurting and miserable.

Kaname noticed as well but surprisingly enough, he couldn't pry it out of Yuuki either. Although she responded readily enough to his comments, he also saw a slight reserve in her normally expressive eyes. She politely but firmly denied that anything had happened between her and Zero and even found the strength to turn away from Kaname before he could see her blush at her bare faced lie.

- o -

On Thursday, Zero couldn't stand it anymore. He knew he'd screwed up any chance he ever had with Yuuki but he made up his mind he wanted to get through to her. He didn't care if she hated him, he just wanted her to look at him, really _look _at him, dammit, when he said what he wanted to say. Not… look at him like he didn't exist. Like she didn't care about Zero Kiriyu anymore…

He cornered her as the last of the Day Class girls sullenly went back to their dorms and the Night Class has settled in classes for their lessons.

"Yuuki…" he began only to see her walking back to the main school building. He strode after her, long legs catching up easily.

"What?" she asked. Coldly. Even disdainfully. Pain exploded in his aching heart at her tone.

"Yuuki… please! We – we can't go on… like this…" _Can't you see I'm dying here…? _his heart cried silently.

She stopped then before slowly turning around to face him. Zero stopped breathing. But again, Yuuki's gaze was… empty… as she gazed fixedly on an invisible spot above his left shoulder. "If you want my blood, come to my room an hour from now…" she said serenely to the invisible spot. Without waiting for his reply, she turned around and walked on towards the main building.

Zero stood there, staring at her, suddenly weak-kneed that Yuuki had actually spoken to him. Even though she still hadn't looked at him. A part of him sagged in devastating relief that she didn't hate him enough to deny him her life-giving blood… and it stirred the bloodlust in him to know he would be getting it soon… but it was only a very small part of him. He knew he'd hurt her and it looked like a wound far too deep to ever heal… too deep for forgiveness. Sudden tears blurred his vision and he blinked, dashing his hand angrily across his eyes. He inhaled sharply, squaring his shoulders. Well, at least Yuuki had said she'd see him… it was a chance to make things right… and he prayed he would know how to.

-- End --


	32. Chap 14: Going Too Far Part 5

**Author Notes: **OK, here is Part 5, uploaded much sooner than expected…

Apparently, no one wants our favourite silver haired vampire to suffer anymore, LOL! Ah well, I adore Zero too… do check out my profile for other comments on Going Too Far…

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the fabulous manga or characters. I wish I had Zero… but never mind.

-- Start --

"Come in" called Yuuki when she heard the knock on her room door.

Zero hesitated a moment before opening the door. The Chairman had already left for yet another late night meeting with the Council and this was one of the reasons why he'd cornered her tonight. He had already showered and changed into a clean T-shirt and jeans. Somehow, he couldn't put on his pyjamas… not now – he was feeling pretty lousy and vulnerable enough as it was.

But Yuuki was in her pyjamas, sitting in her desk chair and looking back at him with that vacant stare. Zero froze – it was the pale yellow satin pyjamas and it instantly transported him back to a past occasion when she'd gone in search of him and he again recalled how he had half stripped the shirt off her before satiating himself on her blood, holding her lovingly in his arms.

But that memory only brought pain now, and Zero wondered if she was wearing it just to taunt him by reminding him of the closeness they'd shared before his rash action last week ruined everything.

"Lock the door…" murmured Yuuki as she got up from the chair. Zero did as she asked, then turned around to see her unbuttoning her shirt – again. But her movements were very different from the last time. Then, she'd been a totally entrancing mix of defiance and shyness, thinking only of his discomfort and how she could alleviate it. Now, her movements were jerky, her face impassive as though steeling herself for something unpleasant… and he knew he could not drink from her… not like this…

"No, Yuuki…" he groaned.

Yuuki paused for a heartbeat, her fingers again on the last button, before she slipped that free, almost pulling the button off in her haste. She shrugged out of her shirt and let it fall carelessly onto the floor behind her. Inside, she wore a cream coloured sleeveless tank top.

"Take what you want, then please leave…" she said, the words as expressionless as her face, as she used one hand to sweep the shiny hair off her neck and turned slightly to present him with the exposed side.

Zero almost died at her words. Had it come to this…? he thought in despair. Why couldn't she see that he loved her?

Yuuki stood still, shutting her eyes and Zero saw her other hand clenched into a fist at her side. He took a hesitant step forward, then another, and another until he was standing directly in front of her.

Zero both saw and heard Yuuki take a deep breath, as though steeling herself for an unpleasant ordeal and he shuddered, hands reaching to grasp her bare arms. "Yuuki… please…!" he said brokenly.

Yuuki opened her eyes and Zero again saw the one emotion he didn't ever want to see in her eyes when she looked at him – fear. And it cut him to his very soul. Stumbling back, he fell onto his knees in front of her, shoulders slumped, head bowed.

He didn't hear Yuuki's sharp intake of breath. But he heard her voice. "Z-Zero?"

Zero looked up. Yuuki was finally looking at him and complete shock had overwritten the fear in those large brown eyes. "Yuuki… let me apologise, please…" he said.

Yuuki was staring down at him as if she'd never seen him before and Zero took the opportunity to continue.

"I'm sorry – I never meant to hurt you, never. I just thought… you wanted me as much as I wanted you. I'd rather die than hurt you, you know that" he murmured, shameful tears gathering again in his eyes. He had no pride left. None. He was already on his _knees _begging her forgiveness. And if she didn't give it to him - well, then he didn't know what he would do then.

"Please say you forgive me, Yuuki…" Zero whispered, his eyes filled with heart wrenching pain.

Yuuki looked shocked at his words. "Zero? What - what are you _talking _about?" she asked as she sank down onto her own knees in front of him and looked searchingly into his eyes.

Zero managed a shaky sort of smile… sort of… at least she was speaking to him again. And there was no fear in her eyes now – he breathed a prayer of thanks for this. "You fear me, Yuuki…" he whispered. Yuuki closed her eyes for a moment, hearing the pain in that tortured voice. "You can dislike me… you can even hate me… but please… not fear… not _ever _fear… I can't bear it…" he choked out.

Yuuki stared at Zero for what seemed like ages. How could she have been so… so _blind_? Was this how he was suffering all this time? Thinking she was _afraid_ of him? Thinking he'd done something so irreversible as to kill the deep affection she had for him? She drew a painful breath, realising now what she'd felt was so pathetic compared to Zero's agony. Why hadn't she seen how he was feeling? Why had she been so blind? How could she not have even noticed? She, who _always _knew how he was feeling?

"I don't fear you, Zero…" she whispered. "Really, I don't…"

"Don't deny that, Yuuki! I'm not stupid!" he glared at her through his tears. Almost.

Yuuki took a deep breath, speaking more firmly. "I've never feared you, Zero. Never."

Zero looked at her disbelievingly. "I saw fear in your eyes that night, don't deny it." he said flatly.

Yuuki closed her eyes, flushing hotly at the memory of that night, praying for strength to say the truth. "It – it wasn't fear of _you_, Zero. It was fear of what… what we… what I…felt…" she said, cheeks burning with embarrassment. "I – I was afraid of what we did… what we almost did…" then remembering how it all ended "no, what we did…do…" she ended lamely.

Zero stared at her, unable to believe his ears. She didn't fear him? She feared what they did? It didn't make sense to him… but he was conscious of a growing sense of hope burgeoning in his heart. _She didn't fear him… she didn't fear him… she didn't fear him!!_

"Why?" he remembered to ask faintly.

"Because…" Yuuki hesitated, catching her lower lip in small white teeth, and making Zero suffer a maddening urge to drag her into his arms and hold her there forever. He held himself tightly in check. "Why were you afraid, Yuuki?" he asked softly, wanting to know, needing to know.

Yuuki looked at him. "Well, it – it felt wrong…" she said, almost in a whisper.

How could it have been wrong? thought Zero, wondering if he'd heard wrongly. "I don't understand…"

Her blush deepened. "What we did… it's not something a brother and sister would do… to each other…" she confessed, her eyes mirroring hurt and guilt and complete confusion..

Zero stared at her, conscious of a sinking feeling in his heart. She'd been so… passionate… then… he'd forgotten she didn't love him that way… she didn't know how he felt about her, she'd just felt it was wrong somehow…

It was a painfully bittersweet moment to Zero – Yuuki didn't hate him and she didn't fear him… but she didn't love him, the way he desperately wanted her to… and then he realised his relief that she didn't hate or fear him was immeasurably larger than the disappointment that she didn't love him in that sense. After all, it had been that way for as long as they knew each other, hadn't it?

Zero exhaled then, shaking his head and swiping at his eyes, knowing some explanation was in order for things to go back to the way they were. In many ways, Yuuki was very much a child... even though she was only a year younger than him. And the last thing he wanted was for her to think of him as a perverted individual, out to ruin the innocence of a younger sister…

"Hey… you all right?" asked Yuuki softly, her wide eyes filled with concern and guilt.

Zero nodded. "I am… now…" he murmured as he slowly got up and reached down to pull her up as well. Yuuki allowed him to, but looked down at their clasped hands instead of at him.

"Come here, Yuuki…" Zero said softly, pulling her towards her bed. He sat down on it and pulled her down beside him, putting his arms around her shoulders and drawing her close. He could feel her body trembling slightly. "Hey, don't be scared, I just… want to… talk a bit…"

Yuuki peeped up at him, blushing as though she had an inkling what he wanted to talk about, and Zero's face warmed a little in response. He was silent for a moment, just enjoying the feel of her body against his, while he rested his chin on her hair, mentally stringing words together. Then he cleared his throat to speak.

"First of all, I'm sorry… about what happened" his cheeks were flushed as much as hers. "The – the first time, I mean… when I lost control… and I… hurt you…"

Yuuki shook her head and started to speak but he stopped her. "No – I have to say it. What I did was… wrong. It frightened you and I shouldn't have taken it out on you. But I did, because I was angry. And…" Zero paused to swallow and to clear his throat. "I was jealous" he admitted hoarsely. "Of Kuran."

Yuuki's already wide eyes widened still further. Zero was jealous? Is that why he was always so angry around Kaname? she wondered.

"I – I've been jealous of him for quite some time, actually…" he added and Yuuki gasped softly.

After a moment, Zero continued. "And then, after that first time…" he broke off to exhale. "I - I made an assumption, a wrong one… about…" He stopped, wondering if he was making any sense at all. "How you felt… about me, I mean" he clarified.

Yuuki didn't say anything, she was still staring up at him as if transfixed. Zero's hands shifted to her shoulders and he shook her a little. "Yuuki? Are you listening to me?"

Yuuki blinked and nodded. "Go on…" she said softly.

Zero cleared his throat again and took a deep breath. "I know now… guess I've always known actually… " He gave a little shrug "…that you don't think of me the way I think… of you."

Yuuki made a small movement as though she wanted to say something but Zero shook his head, not wanting her to interrupt, afraid he might not have the guts to say what he needed to say.

He pulled back a little to hold both her hands in his. They both shifted automatically to face each other, still sitting on the bed. Yuuki looked at him questioningly, her head slightly tilted to one side. There was no fear in her eyes now, just a lingering shyness over what had happened mixed with curiosity at what Zero was going to say next, even though instinct whispered something very, very softly to her… that she knew to be true.

Zero saw that and paused. "Yuuki – you know now… don't you…" he said slowly.

Yuuki looked at him steadily. "Tell me…"

Zero groaned softly – was she really going to make him go through with this? he thought somewhat ruefully, releasing her hands to drag his fingers through his hair before capturing her hands again in his. He took another deep breath, released it, and somehow found the courage to look into her eyes, fingers clenched tight on hers as he finally confessed "I've fallen in love with the girl I first thought of as my younger sister…"

Then, as Yuuki's eyes widened, Zero continued softly "At first, she _was _just a sister to me… kinda annoying but lovable too… I – I was hurting inside when I met her… hurting so much… and I tried to keep her away from me, because I didn't want to hurt her. But she kept coming back to me, and she never left me alone. And then I realised I didn't want her to… Somehow, she became my best friend, the only who saw me as I really was… and she loved me enough to put up with me and my moods, she loved me enough to save me by letting me drink her blood, she made me promise not to leave her side… and I've… I've fallen in love with her… you, Yuuki. I'm in love with you."

There – he'd said it. He'd finally said it… and more words than he'd ever said at any time… feeling his heart and soul soar with an almost giddy lightness that the heavy burden of keeping this secret had finally been lifted. He'd held that secret for so long… although their Father knew, Kuran knew and probably half the school as well, but it hadn't been the same – because Yuuki hadn't known. Now she did and he had no more secrets from her… none. He'd given them all to her, to do as she wished. He was completely vulnerable and helpless before her now… and on tenterhooks as well, waiting for her response, wondering what she'd say to this revelation.

"I love you too, Zero" said Yuuki solemnly, her eyes large and serious.

And Zero's lips twitched, he couldn't help it. Oh, Yuuki…

Slowly, he bent forward to touch his forehead with hers. "I mean – I love you, as in 'marry me and have my babies' kind of love, Yuuki…" he clarified in a whisper.

Yuuki's eyes widened again and she blushed deeply. Zero released one of her hands to brush his knuckles gently down one flushed cheek. "I know, dearest…" her eyes closed for a moment and her blush deepened at the sudden and unexpected endearment.

Zero paused to touch her cheek again, before he continued "but I also know that you're not _in _love with me." Seeing Yuuki about to speak again, he placed a gentle finger on her lips. "And it's OK, just knowing that you love me as you do… and that you're not afraid of me, is more than enough…" he said softly. _For now… _he added silently.

As Zero had more or less expected, Yuuki's eyes overflowed with tears. She placed her hands hesitantly on his shoulders. "I didn't know, Zero…" she whispered. "I'm sorry, I didn't know…"

"Shh, you've nothing to be sorry about…"

Zero hugged her close to him, savouring the pure and heart warming joy of simply being able to hold Yuuki in his arms once again. He'd gone through such _hell _the past week, and he now realised she had too…

Yuuki kept quiet, letting her warm tears soak the front of Zero's T-shirt. His confession explained a lot of things, particularly the way he had started to behave towards her recently. And she wondered anew at his gentleness and patience with her especially during the times when she must've acted so stupid, not to have even noticed or sensed how he felt about her. It hurt her so much that she was unable to give Zero the love he wanted, the kind he deserved. He must have been in so much _hell _this past week… even more than her actually, because of what he thought he'd lost. And why he'd been so angry in the first place, with Aido unwittingly feeding his anger and his jealousy. Somehow, she'd have to think of a way to make it up to Zero, she could feel that he was still hurting inside…

Zero remembered he hadn't actually finished his explanation. Resting his chin on her hair, he continued hesitantly "That's why I… we – uh, I tried to, um, make love to you… after the first time, I mean…" he mumbled. "And we uh… got rather carried away…" it was the understatement of probably the _millennia_, not century, but thankfully Yuuki didn't laugh at this.

"But… Zero, we did… you know, make love…" she murmured, still looking at his T-shirt and Zero had to smile at that. "No, Yuuki" he said gently, pulling back slightly and tiling her chin up to look into her eyes. "We didn't… but it was a really close call though…" he admitted. He'd almost taken her innocence and he thanked God he hadn't managed to. Yuuki buried her face in his damp T-shirt, cheeks flaming again as she remembered how close Zero had come to making her his.

"But – but you… touched me… there… " she said in an agonised whisper and Zero's smile disappeared immediately. "I did, I know…" he murmured.

"And you – you _tasted _me, I mean, my, uh… " Yuuki burst out, looking mortified.

Zero blinked. "What's wrong with that?" he asked, his lips twitching a little. Yuuki was just so innocent sometimes, he couldn't help teasing her… just a little…

Yuuki gaped at him. "What's _wrong_?" she asked indignantly. "How can you say that, of course it's wrong…"

Zero couldn't stop his grin this time. "You tasted good, Yuuki" he said, as solemnly as he could. A small fist landed on his arm as Yuuki glared at him fiercely, her cheeks flaming.

"Ow! OK, OK, I'm sorry…"

"And – and you made me feel… uh…" she broke off and squirmed briefly against him.

Zero regarded her with a tender, exasperated look not unmixed with amusement. "Yuuki, it's called an orga – "

A soft shriek stopped him as Yuuki quickly stuffed her fingers in her ears, looking even more mortified. "Don't say it!" she said in a panicked whisper. After a moment, in which Zero had to bite his lip hard not to grin again, Yuuki removed her fingers from her ears tentatively.

"Well, I thought… since you were so… you know, aroused – " Zero ignored Yuuki's embarrassed gasp "that I just wanted to…" he broke off again as she glared at him.

"What?" he asked, wondering if he'd managed to make her hate him after all.

"Well, don't – don't ask me if I liked it!" blurted out Yuuki before she clapped a hand over her mouth, realising what she'd just said. Well, of _course_, she'd have to have liked it, hadn't she, if she'd actually…

Somewhat stricken, she glanced at Zero who was trying his best not to laugh out loud, before hiding her face once more in his shirt. "I shouldn't feel like that" she said half to herself. "I don't know why I did…"

Zero's amusement disappeared and he bent down to brush a kiss on her hair. "It's OK, I was wrong to start it, not you…" They sat there for a moment longer then Yuuki raised her head. He was entranced to see her cheeks still gently flushed. "Promise me you won't do that ever again" she said, eyes regaining some of her usual spark.

Zero grimaced then relented. "I promise I won't do that again… " he recited obediently and Yuuki sighed in relief. "… unless you want me to" he completed his promise. Yuuki's mouth fell open before she tossed her head. "Don't worry, I won't!" she said indignantly, making him grin again, he couldn't help it.

"I love you, Yuuki" he said again, ignoring her soft gasp. He sighed, shaking his head ruefully before confessing "You have no idea how much I've longed to say that…" Not waiting for her reply, he hugged her close again and repeated "I love you…"

Minutes ticked by as Yuuki tried her best to make her blush recede and her heartbeat slow down, even though she could hear Zero's rather unsteady one next to her ear.

Finally, she spoke again. "Zero…?"

"Hmm?"

"What were you doing… you know, that time – over the toilet bowl?" Yuuki looked up. Zero thought he saw an impish glint in her eyes but it was gone in an instant. He scowled, feeling the heat creep up his cheeks again.

"None of your business."

"Tell me!" Yuuki insisted.

"It's uh, well – you know what it is!"

"Tell me… please?" Yuuki wheedled.

"If you don't know, then I shouldn't be telling you!" Zero argued, even though he knew he could deny her nothing at this stage.

Yuuki straightened up. "Tell me…" she said for the third time, looking directly into his eyes.

Zero closed his own. And kept them mostly closed as he told her, in as little words as possible and very… hesitantly. Yuuki listened, almost open-mouthed with wonder. She knew, of course, the bare bones of it, just as she knew very well what it was that he had made her feel that night… but it was just so much more _interesting _when Zero explained it, even though a couple of phrases were somewhat jumbled up and mumbled in a barely audible tone. She couldn't stop herself from even asking a couple of very pertinent questions that made Zero flush hotly to the tips of his ears before he could bring himself to answer them.

Finally, they both fell silent again and this time, Zero's bloodlust stirred and he shifted uncomfortably. He sighed before murmuring reluctantly "I'd better go…" completely forgetting this was the reason why Yuuki had asked him to her room earlier. He inhaled sharply as the invisible bands tightened around his chest suddenly and he released one hand to clutch at his T-shirt.

"It's OK, Zero…" Yuuki knew what was happening and she sat up straighter, finger combing her hair to the right side, exposing the left side of her neck.

His gaze slid inexorably to her neck, then back into her eyes, the amethyst of his own eyes being slowly obscured by crimson. "Wait - Yuuki, do you forgive me? he asked quietly. He waited for her answer, knowing he wouldn't take her blood unless she forgave him, even though the ache in his upper jaw told him his fangs were already growing out in anticipation.

"Oh, Zero, there's nothing for me to forgive…" murmured Yuuki.

Zero shook her very slightly. "There is, damnit. Now, answer me, Yuuki, am I forgiven?"

Yuuki stared at him, reaching up to cup his face with trembling hands, and he closed his eyes briefly at the soft loving caress he thought he'd never feel again. "Always, Zero… always…" she whispered, blinking back tears.

He breathed a sigh of relief then. "I love you…" he said again and followed willingly as she pulled his face towards her neck.

"I know…" she whispered.

And for now, it was enough.

-- End --


	33. Chap 14: Going Too Far Part 6

**Author Notes: **Just to tie up some loose ends from Part 5…

**Disclaimer:** You know…

-- Start --

When Chairman Cross opened his eyes the following morning - Friday - he decided that he would have to have a heart-to-heart talk with both his children. This cold war between them couldn't continue; they both looked so miserable - Zero in particular - and he was sure it was just over some triviality that could easily be straightened out when he sat the both of them down and got to the heart of the matter.

Filled with fatherly determination and still in his pyjamas, he shuffled from his room, past his study, through the living room and dining area. Yuuki's sudden squeal coming from the kitchen made him pause for a moment, wondering if things had somehow come to a head.

"Zero – quick, the toast! It's burning!"

Yuuki's excited voice was laced with laughter and the smell of burnt toast in the air drew their Father quickly to the kitchen door and he looked in curiously.

Both Yuuki and Zero were already dressed in their school uniforms. Yuuki was at the counter absently stirring one of two steaming mugs and looking at Zero who was deftly fishing out two slices of blackened bread from the smoking toaster on the other end of the counter.

"Well, Miss Forgetful, tell me whose fault it is now?" he drawled as he tossed both slices into the rubbish bin.

"Do you even need to ask?" returned Yuuki at once, her eyes sparkling with laughter. "Yours, of course…" she added under her breath.

"It's always my fault, isn't it?" Zero rolled his eyes, a small smile playing about his lips.

"Well, I'm making the coffee, the least _you _could do is keep an eye on the toast…" Yuuki brought both mugs to the table as Zero stuck two more slices of bread into the toaster.

"… which you put in, by the way" he finished calmly, walking to the window over the kitchen sink and pushing it open a little more, to let the smell out. "And I only just came in here, you know… actually, now there's not enough toast to go around…" he added, glancing at the plastic bag which contained the last two remaining slices of bread.

Yuuki tossed her head. "Then I'll go without, no big deal" she said.

"No way are you missing your breakfast" said Zero immediately. "I'll grab something later…" he looked up to see the Chairman staring agape at them, both eyebrows well up, wondering if he'd somehow tumbled into a time warp during his sleep and surfaced at a past time when Zero and Yuuki were still on speaking and bantering terms.

"'Morning…" offered Zero, with his usual solemn expression, but it was obvious the bleak and miserably wretched look of the past few days had disappeared.

Yuuki swung around. "Good morning, Father!" she sang out and started giggling at the astonished look on his face.

"Good – good morning. Well… " the Chairman was still looking in surprise at them before he pulled himself together. It looked like things were now back to normal although he had no idea how it'd happened…

"Want some toast?" asked Zero, wanting to smile despite himself, at the look on his Father's face.

The Chairman blinked. "I need to go out soon, so I'll grab something in town… you two had better hurry and get on to class…"

"OK" they chorused back and he walked off, shaking his head bemusedly. Storm in a teacup… he finally decided.

- o -

Yori was already waiting outside the classroom when she saw Yuuki and Zero walking towards her. Her eyes widened in surprise – they were talking again and Yuuki was back to her exuberant and bubbly self, laughing at Zero and punching him in the arm for something he'd said. The tall silver haired prefect was also back to his normal reserved self although his customary frown and scowl were absent, as was the miserable look of the past few days. He looked… quietly happy, thought Yori.

"Hey, everything OK now?" she asked Yuuki quietly as they sat down in their seats. Yuuki smiled happily back at her. "Yup, it's all good" she said. Yori's eyebrows lifted, then she glanced over her shoulder. Zero was staring at Yuuki with a strange expression on his face but he looked away immediately.

"Guess you won't be needing me as your lunch partner anymore, huh?" smiled Yori teasingly.

Yuuki shook her head and smiled before she reached over and squeezed Yori's hand. "Thanks for putting up with me over the past few days. And sorry I was such a dope"

Yori grinned. "You are not a dope, Yuuki… and I'm sure Zero doesn't think so either…" Her remark caused Yuuki to blush a little.

But she ended up eating lunch with Yori after all. Just as the last morning lesson ended, Yuuki felt a gentle squeeze on her shoulder. "I have something to do during lunch. See you later…" Zero's voice was quiet in her ear and she looked up to see him striding out of the classroom. Yuuki stared after him in surprise – she'd have thought Zero would want to spend some time with her after the rather emotional scene in her room last night, and especially in light of what he'd said…

- o -

As Yuuki and Zero waited outside the Moon Dorm gate that evening, eyeing the deliriously excited Day Class students, she remembered his earlier words. "Where were you during lunch, Zero?" she asked.

"In town… running an errand" he said briefly, causing Yuuki's eyebrows to lift in surprise. Zero hated to go out to town, she was the one who enjoyed these outings…

"What?" she asked curiously.

Luckily for Zero, the Moon Dorm gate opened at that moment and Yuuki forgot about it as she reached for her whistle.

Some of the Day Class girls started squealing and a few shouts of "Idol-sempai!" were heard. Zero caught sight of Hanabusa Aido, walking a few steps behind Kaname. The young vampire noble yawned tiredly before he caught Zero's steady gaze on him. They looked at each other for a moment.

Zero saw that Aido was looking paler than usual, with dark circles under his blue eyes due to lack of sleep. Aido noticed that the miserable and wretched look in Kiriyu's eyes had disappeared even if he still looked like he'd lost a bit of weight, same as the Cross girl, actually… That reminded the tousle-haired blond of the strange conversation he'd had with Kiriyu the other day, and the book Kain had unceremoniously dropped on him that evening. It had a chapter inside that had helped Aido cut down his raking time from an agonising three hours to a mere hour. Catching Kiriyu's eye once more, he gave a slight nod of thanks.

Zero's lips quirked a little and he nodded once in return. He turned to see Kaname exchanging words with Yuuki – the pureblood appeared to be asking her about her much improved mood this evening and Yuuki looked like she was smilingly parrying his subtle questions. Zero saw the brand new cufflinks in the snowy cuffs of Kaname's school uniform and shrugged a little to himself.

Aido glanced to his side at the screaming girls still calling out his nickname. His face lit up and he moved towards them. Two steps later, he hesitated, then looked back at Zero. As if sensing the blond's look, the moody School Prefect turned to regard him, his hands still in his pockets. After a moment, Zero turned silently and walked off in the opposite direction from Aido, towards where a small group of girls were excitedly trying to get the Assistant Dorm Leader's attention.

The young vampire's mouth fell open for a moment - wasn't Kiriyu going to breathe down his neck as usual? Apparently not. And for some unfathomable reason, Aido found himself being a little more reserved than usual with his fan club… something Kaname and Takuma both noticed, even if they didn't say a word.

- o -

After dinner that night, in which Yuuki had cheerfully contributed her prawn salad as well as her exuberant chatter, and the Chairman had happily noticed all the cleared dishes in front of him – well, almost all – but there _was _a good portion of his signature liver and vegetable dish eaten – Yuuki cleared up while the Chairman towed Zero away for patrol duties.

When Zero returned, Yuuki had finished clearing up the kitchen and apparently shut herself in her room for the night. He frowned a little and knocked on her door.

There was a pause before Yuuki answered, looking a little flustered. "Yes, Zero?" she asked, giving a quick glance behind her as if she were in the midst of doing something.

Zero hesitated. He was hoping Yuuki would invite him in for a bit… he wanted to talk with her, maybe even hold her for a while. But it looked like he'd interrupted her, and he shook his head instead. "It's nothing… good night, Yuuki" he murmured before turning and walking to his own room.

He didn't notice that Yuuki was looking at him with a small and secretive smile on her lips, which faded when she closed her room door and looked back at what she was doing. She sighed heavily and shook her head. After making sure Zero had entered his room, she opened her door very quietly once more, leaving it slightly ajar.

Zero read for a while in his room. Then, still feeling a little restless, he grabbed his towel and went to take his shower. He wanted to give Yuuki something… but it looked like it would have to wait until tomorrow. After his shower, he walked back to his room, toweling his hair absently.

Even before he opened his door, he sensed Yuuki's presence. And there she was - sitting at his desk chair and facing the door, obviously waiting for him, looking a little apprehensive and excited at the same time.

Zero's eyes widened when he saw her. _In that dress._ The spring green dress she'd worn to Kaname's surprise party about a week ago. The dress he'd all but torn from her during that fateful night. She was even wearing same gold high heels. Zero swallowed past a suddenly aching throat.

"Yuuki? What are you…"

"Shh… close the door, Zero… and switch off the light" Yuuki interrupted him as she stood up. There was a CD player on his desk which Zero recognised as their Father's, normally kept in his study. Yuuki placed her hand on the top of the player, looking down at it as Zero closed the door and flicked the light switch. Moonlight filtered in from the partly drawn curtains at the window.

Zero walked over to Yuuki, looking down at her a little uncertainly. After a moment, Yuuki looked up and smiled.

"Zero - that night, during Kaname's party… I could feel you looking, as he and I danced…" Yuuki's large brown eyes were luminous and soft and Zero couldn't stop gazing into them as she continued, "I know you wanted to dance with me too, only it didn't happen… what with Aido and all…" she stopped to swallow suddenly, wondering if she was doing the right thing. But she knew Zero had been hurting so much this past week, even after last night's apology and revelation… and she wanted to set things right and heal whatever wounds that still open. For him and for herself as well.

Zero glanced away for a moment. "Yeah, I wanted to…" he said quietly.

Yuuki smiled tremulously. "Well… now's your chance" she said softly. She pressed on the Play button of the player and after a moment, a love song started. It was the second last song they'd danced to, at the school dance, which she knew would invoke a much sweeter memory than the waltz at Kaname's birthday party.

"Yuuki…" Zero broke off and took a step closer. He stopped breathing as Yuuki stepped close to him, her slender arms sliding trustingly around his waist. Zero slowly closed his own arms around her. With her high heels on, the top of Yuuki's head was almost at his shoulder and she pressed her cheek against the soft cotton of his pyjama shirt.

"I-I'm not dressed the part…" but God, she smelled _gorgeous_…

"Like I care"

"But how did you – I – I tore it…" Yuuki closed her eyes at the guilt in Zero's voice.

"Silly… I mended it, of course…" Her voice was soft… teasing… and it belied the hours she'd spent last night and just now, removing the zip and reattaching it with small careful stitches to hide the long rip that ran along one side of the zipper, cursing under her breath as she pricked her finger numerous times. It made the bodice of the dress a little narrower than before but as she'd lost a bit of weight in past week not eating much, it still fit. It would be fine as long as she didn't inhale too deeply…

_So that was what she'd been doing earlier… _

"Yuuki, I – "

"Zero, are you going to dance or not?" Yuuki tried hard but couldn't stop the slight quivering note in her voice. Zero sighed and bent his head to bury it in Yuuki's shining auburn hair. "Dance, of course…"

He could feel she was pressed close to him again and he wasn't sure if it was by accident or if it was deliberate. He took a half step back just to be sure. And knew it was the latter when Yuuki moved forward again.

"Zero, you're not afraid of me, are you?" came her soft voice against his shoulder, along with a very soft giggle which told him she knew what he was doing.

There was another pause. Then Zero placed his hands on her shoulders to pull back slightly and looked searchingly into her eyes. "Shouldn't I be asking you that, Yuuki?" he asked, seriously.

Yuuki smiled. "I already told you, Zero. I was never afraid of you" Then, as he continued to look adorably uncertain, she whispered "Hold me, Zero, please… and dance with me…" _For both our sakes'… _she added silently, wanting to take away the bitter incident of that night with this memory for them both.

And he did.

"Thank you, Yuuki" he breathed, tightening his arms around her. They continued swaying for a minute. "You always know how I'm feeling, don't you?" he asked quietly.

Yuuki shook her head gently, feeling the soft warmth of his shirt against her cheek, breathing in the familiar scent of the soap he used. "I thought I did, but now I realise I didn't always" she confessed softly. She hadn't known how Zero felt about her. She hadn't known how long he'd suffered, seeing her always speaking of Kaname, seeing her always running to Kaname like that…

Zero inhaled the sweet scent of her hair. "Well, I guess now you know everything about me, don't you…" he said softly. And felt no embarrassment or shame in admitting the fact.

Yuuki peeped up at Zero and smiled. "And you know everything about me as well, Zero…" she returned just as softly.

Zero gave a small smile in return. Then Yuuki burrowed her face into his shirt again, feeling him rest his chin on the top of her head.

The song ended and another one started, it was the last one they'd danced to and they continued to dance, swaying gently. And even when the two songs ended, Zero didn't release Yuuki, continuing to hold her even as his body reacted to her nearness, treasuring the hushed silence between them.

When Yuuki finally yawned, Zero gave her a little squeeze then reluctantly released her. "It's time for bed, Yuuki" he said. She returned the hug and stepped back.

"Oh yeah, before I forget…" Zero released her to rummage in his desk drawer, taking out a small plastic bag. He pulled out something that sparkled in the moonlight. "This is yours, I believe…"

Yuuki's breath caught as she recognised her bracelet dangling from Zero's fingers. "It's fixed now, I took it to the jeweller's in town earlier…" he said, his tone a little awkward.

_So that was what he'd been to town for during lunch…_

Zero reached for her right hand and turned her palm up to drop the bracelet onto it but Yuuki pulled her hand away and shook her head. He paused, puzzled.

Wordlessly, Yuuki held out her left wrist instead. "Why don't you put it back on for me?" she suggested softly, her eyes filled with trust and affection.

Zero looked searchingly into Yuuki's eyes for a long moment before he nodded and fastened the bracelet around her slender wrist, his fingers shaking a little. He moved his thumb gently over the delicate skin, relieved to see that the abrasion made from the bracelet last week had already healed. Then his warm fingers closed around her hand and he brought it up to his lips, pressing a kiss onto each delicate knuckle, then the back of her hand, and finally her soft palm.

"Thank you, Zero" murmured Yuuki, blinking back tears.

"Why are you thanking me? I'm the one who broke it…" Zero started but Yuuki shook her head and pressed gentle fingers against his lips. "Don't say anything more of that night" she said.

Zero swallowed. Even if he tried, he could never say enough…

"Please?" Yuuki whispered.

Zero looked into her eyes and nodded silently. "I won't…" he promised.

Yuuki hesitated a moment then she reached up and pulled Zero down to brush a soft kiss on his cheek. He caught her left hand in his right, and brought it to his lips again. _I love you… _he said silently.

Perhaps Yuuki read what he said in his eyes. Because she smiled and reached up again, this time kissing him gently on the lips. "Goodnight, Zero" she murmured, willing her tears not to well up.

"Goodnight, Yuuki" Zero said, hating to release her. Hating to let her go from his room.

Yuuki turned to go but found Zero's hand still holding onto hers. She glanced up from their joined hands to his face. He smiled a little ruefully and gave her hand a final squeeze before releasing it.

Yuuki smiled back at him and swung around, catching up the CD player as she walked to the door. She didn't look back when she opened the door to let herself out, not wanting Zero to see the tears that had finally started to slip down her cheeks.

-- End --


	34. Chap 15: Water Play

**Author Notes: **A light chapter this time, after all the angst of Going Too Far...

**Disclaimer:** You know... I wish... but I don't... and you all know that, don't you?

-- Start --

Yuuki hummed to herself as she made her way to the main bathroom, clutching a red plastic pail in one hand and a plastic broom in the other. It was her turn to clean the bathroom this time, and Zero's turn to mop the floors in the main building – just part of their chores.

Yuuki didn't really mind, it was an excuse to play with water anyway… she'd lost count of the number of times the Chairman had commented that even the ceiling managed to drip water whenever it was Yuuki's turn to clean the bathroom. When it was Zero's turn, however, not only the ceiling stayed dry, most of the time, the tiled walls remained dry too, except for the portions in the glass enclosure of the shower.

Half an hour later, Yuuki was still humming to herself and breathing rather more quickly than usual as she finished scrubbing the toilet bowl. It was time for the fun bit – a small grin tilted up her lips as she got up and walked carefully on the soapy tiles towards the sink in the corner. There was a tap below the sink, attached to the same pipe as the one over the sink, and she turned it on now to fill up the pail with clean water.

Once the pail was full, Yuuki started flinging around the water with happy abandon – she didn't know why Zero somehow detested cleaning the bathroom – any excuse to use water was fine with her.

"Having fun?"

Yuuki glanced over at the open bathroom door. Zero was leaning on the doorjamb, thumbs hooked into his jeans pockets, sweat dampened T-shirt slung across one shoulder as he surveyed the wet bathroom before his amethyst gaze swung back towards her. As usual, his expression didn't really show the fact that the petite girl in the bathroom with wet auburn hair sticking to her forehead and neck had him pretty much wrapped around her little finger.

Yuuki stuck out her tongue at him playfully. "Yes, I am…" She flung another pailful of water in the vague direction of the far wall. "And you?"

Zero rolled his eyes. "I had loads of fun" he deadpanned. "How much longer, Yuuki, I need a shower…" he added. Without waiting for Yuuki's answer, he entered the bathroom, treading lightly on the soapy tiles towards her.

"Hey, I'm not done yet…" began Yuuki, trailing off as her gaze met Zero's bare chest, skin glistening with perspiration. A bead of sweat that was slowly trickling its way down the smooth skin had caught her attention and Yuuki watched it, fascinated, until it had slowly and tauntingly journeyed past the flat planes of Zero's stomach and disappeared into the waistband of his black jeans.

Dragging up her gaze to meet Zero's raised eyebrow, Yuuki quickly looked down again as a familiar warmth started up in her cheeks.

"Uh… I haven't… er – " Yuuki dwindled off, now staring at Zero's bare feet on the wet tiles.

Zero took the pail from her and started towards the sink. "Get another, it'll be faster" he said over his shoulder as he slid the pail under the tap and turned it on. He then plugged up the sink and started running water into it as well.

Yuuki started to frown a little. She'd gotten past the tiresome bit of the cleaning – the actual scrubbing – and had just started on the fun bit – the splashing – and was rather looking forward to it all by herself. Then, a thought occurred to her and she ducked her head to hide the sudden secret smile that blossomed on her lips.

"OK" she agreed as she started moving towards the door, fingertips grazing the tiled wall to keep her balance.

"Be careful – the floor's slippery…"

"Stop nagging" she said absently.

When Yuuki came back to the bathroom with another pail taken from under the kitchen sink, Zero had already splashed off the soapsuds from three of the four walls. Damn - he was fast, she thought distractedly.

Zero entered the glass enclosure to rinse off the wall tiles there and Yuuki quickly pushed her pail under the tap and got ready. As Zero opened the door, swiping at a drop of sweat dripping down his cheek, he was suddenly caught directly in the face with a pailful of cold water, some of which splashed off the glass panel beside him. It was followed a second later by Yuuki's shriek of completely gleeful laughter.

Zero sputtered as he dropped his own empty pail on the floor. Swiping an arm across his eyes, he looked at Yuuki. She was still hanging on to her pail, eyes dancing with laughter. Zero smiled before he could stop himself – Yuuki looked like she was having the time of her life and the sight of it warmed his heart like nothing could. Well, almost nothing else…

He gave her a mock frown then with a swift movement, he was back in the shower enclosure, filling up his pail with water from the shower, tap turned on full blast. Through the wet glass, he saw Yuuki was doing the same – she had an advantage in that she could fill her pail faster with two taps but Zero didn't mind. He had a longer reach and his aim was far more accurate.

Grinning now, he emerged from the shower with a full pail. Yuuki's large brown eyes widened for a moment as she caught sight of the pail in Zero's hands and the light of battle in those beautiful eyes. Then she turned back and hefted up her own ammunition in her small hands, a smile of anticipation curving her lips.

The fight was on.

It lasted a good ten minutes, by the end of which both Yuuki and Zero were completely soaked through and the bathroom was echoing with the sounds of their laughter. Both the ceiling and half open door were dripping water as well, as was part of the corridor floor outside. It was a good thing the Chairman happened to be outside the main building, since he usually put a stop to it if he happened to be within earshot of the water fight, claiming their monthly expenses were high enough without adding to the water bill.

Yuuki was clutching at the sink, gasping for breath. She had a stitch in her side from laughing so much and didn't have any strength left to throw even a handful of water, much less a pailful.

Zero paused and eyed her warily. He still had half a pail of water left and was waiting to catch Yuuki off guard. His sensitive ears were still ringing from her exuberant shrieks; at one point, he'd even glanced at the coloured window panes above door, surprised to see them still intact.

"Enough, Zero!" panted Yuuki, still giggling uncontrollably. "Whoo, that was fun!" It would have been even better if Zero was laughing as much as she was but that probably accounted for why she had more water thrown over herself than him. Her tank top and shorts were clinging wetly to her and she let go of the sink to run her fingers through her hair, pushing it off her forehead.

Zero put down the pail and pushed his fingers through his hair as well. Taking his action to mean he'd stopped as well, Yuuki turned back towards the sink.

She squealed a moment later as a wave of water broke squarely over her head, some of it splashing directly onto her face after hitting the large mirror that hung over the sink.

"Zero! I thought you'd – " she gasped out as she wiped water off her face.

Zero snickered loudly. "Gotcha" he said casually as he walked towards her, empty pail swinging loosely from his fingers.

Yuuki wrinkled her nose at him. "Well, I got you the last round…" she conceded as she bent down to snag her own pail. Sighing happily, she straightened up and turned around to find her nose only two inches away from Zero's water slicked chest. Involuntarily, her eyes followed another drop of water making its way down his stomach.

"Like what you see?" asked Zero, raising an eyebrow once more as he looked down at her. Then he stopped breathing. Yuuki, her index finger stretched out to touch the tempting drop of water that had just travelled past his navel quickly snatched her hand back.

"No, and I was _not _seeing… or looking…" she mumbled, brushing past him towards the door. Zero just stretched out his right arm at her shoulder level, stopping Yuuki in her tracks. She glanced up at him.

"I don't mind, look all you want…" he murmured, his gaze intent this time. Yuuki felt the tell tale heat travelling up her cheeks. Not only had she been looking, she'd been on the verge of _touching _as well… just what was wrong with her?

Embarrassed, Yuuki pushed past Zero, wanting to escape. Her feet slid on the slippery wet tiles, and with a shriek, she clutched at his arm, pulling him off balance. Time went into slow, slow motion as they both started falling. Instinctively, Zero twisted, trying to get under Yuuki so that he could cushion her fall with his body. It wasn't something he thought of consciously, even if he had time to think - it was just something his body knew it _had _to do. But Yuuki was hanging onto him and their combined weight was pulling him down faster.

Zero's left shoulder broke their fall and they slid somewhat spectacularly across the wet floor, slowing down and finally coming to a stop as his head made contact with the tiled wall. The dropped pails landed noisily as well and went rolling across the floor. Zero was flat on his back with Yuuki on top of him. He'd managed to cradle her head against his chest with one hand and the other was around her back. The cold wet tiles were actually quite refreshing against the back of his head and back so Zero didn't move for a while. After all, it wasn't as if he could get any wetter…

Yuuki blinked, finding herself lying on top of Zero, cradled close to his chest. "Sorry" she said. Then added a moment later "Are you all right, Zero?"

"I should be asking you that…"

"Well, you hit the floor, not me"

"No thanks to you, I'm sure"

Yuuki giggled, then placed the palms of her hands on the floor, on either side of Zero's chest, raising herself slightly so that she could look into his eyes.

Zero lay there a moment longer, eyes closed as his fingers absently probed his scalp where he had hit the wall. Yuuki shifted forward, placing one hand on the wet floor beside his head to hold her balance. She used her other hand to push Zero's hand aside then sifted her own fingers through the wet silver strands, gently probing the same area. Zero opened his eyes to see Yuuki catching her lower lip again in her teeth, a small frown forming between her eyebrows. Ah – there. A small bump was forming on his scalp…

"Don't do that…" said Zero, his voice soft.

Yuuki glanced quickly at him, snatching her hand back. "Sorry – did I hurt you?"

Zero shook his head. "I mean, don't frown like that."

Yuuki's eyebrows shot up. "Was I frowning?" Then "Why not?"

A small smile tugged at Zero's lips and his arms closed lightly around the back of her waist. "Because."

The frown deepened. "Because…?"

"Because it makes me want to kiss it away"

Yuuki's breath caught at the soft confession. She'd almost forgotten how Zero felt about her, particularly when they'd been caught up in the fast and furious fun of the water fight a few minutes ago. She bit her lip again, wondering what to say in the sudden hush that followed.

"And don't do that either…" Zero whispered, his gaze caught by her small white teeth.

"Do what?" Yuuki whispered back even though she knew she shouldn't.

"Don't bite your lip…"

There was a pause. Then "Why not?" asked Yuuki.

"Because it makes me want to – " Zero broke off suddenly and muttered a curse under his breath, closing his eyes briefly. Then he looked into Yuuki's eyes, letting her see what he wanted to say. _Because it makes me want to kiss you…_

There was a very sweet hush in the bathroom now, broken only by the sound of their soft breathing and the soft gurgle of the water on the floor as it slowly seeped into the drain hole under the sink.

A small smile trembled on Yuuki's lips. "You may…" she said softly, bending forward so that her nose was only two inches away from his.

Zero's eyes widened – had he said those words aloud? But it didn't matter. He arched his neck, touching his lips to Yuuki's. Like the first time they'd kissed outside her room door after the dance, it was chaste and unbelievably tender. Zero's hands were resting on the back of Yuuki's waist, hers were still on the floor supporting her weight as she bent forward so only their mouths touched directly, skin to skin. And Zero kept it that way even though his arms ached to crush her against him.

Then Yuuki drew back, still smiling gently.

"I – " Zero started then broke off, pain clouding the tender longing in his eyes.

Yuuki's eyes shimmered with tears but she smiled again. "It's OK Zero, you can say it" she said softly.

"I love you, Yuuki"

"I know" she murmured in return. _And I wish I could say the same thing to you, and mean every word the way you do… _she thought. She started to move away but Zero's hand caught at her arm.

"Wait…"

Yuuki glanced at Zero's hand on his arm, then up at him. He was looking at her very intently and she drew back a little, in spite of herself.

"Another kiss" he said, drawing closer, his wet fingers caressing the silky smooth and equally wet skin of her arm.

"Zero…" began Yuuki, her eyes huge. Yes, she was tempted. But… "We really… shouldn't…" She had a pretty good idea by now of what would happen once they started kissing. They should just stop and be satisfied with the sweet one they'd shared just now.

"Just a kiss…" coaxed Zero, causing Yuuki's eyebrow to lift. "Your kisses are never _just _that, Zero" she shot back, smiling a little.

Zero had the grace to look somewhat abashed. "They're not?" he murmured, a small grin tugging at his lips. Then, as Yuuki pursed her lips at him, his grin grew wider. "What if… what if I promise not to do anything except kiss you?" he offered. It was going to be torture, not holding her close or touching her anywhere else but he would try…

Yuuki stared at him suspiciously. "No touching, except for your mouth?" she reiterated.

Zero nodded solemnly. "No touching except for our lips" he promised.

Yuuki relaxed a little and started to nod.

"And tongues…" Zero added with his usual honesty, enjoying the sight of Yuuki's shock as she froze suddenly, her eyes wide and colour flooding her cheeks. "Zero!" she said, her voice a cross between a whisper and a shout, but sounding absolutely scandalised.

Zero grinned wider. "Just wanted to make things clear…" he murmured, the naughty twinkle in his eye making Yuuki glare at him. He wondered if Yuuki actually knew what she was letting herself in for, knowing by now how much she liked his embraces.

"Well… OK then, I guess…" Yuuki finally agreed, trying to sound as if she were doing Zero a favour and not as if she were too eager. She wasn't sure if she succeeded though…

Zero slid Yuuki off his chest and they both sat up. He was cross legged on the wet floor, his hands resting loosely in his lap, Yuuki was kneeling on the floor in front of him. Both their hair, clothing and skin still dripped water. Slowly, they leaned forward, heartbeats already accelerating at the sweet anticipation of the kiss. Yuuki placed her hands on his bare shoulders to keep her balance.

"You're touching me, you know…" murmured Zero, his lips an inch away from hers.

Yuuki drew back at once, looking a little guilty. "It's so I don't fall onto you, that's all…" she muttered defensively.

Zero grinned. "Touch me all you want, Yuuki… you know I don't mind" he teased softly. Yuuki pursed her lips again but forgot to be annoyed a second later as Zero's warm lips touched hers.

Both their eyes fluttered close, letting their mouths communicate. Zero slipped his tongue between Yuuki's softly parted lips and she granted him access, making very soft agreeable sounds in her throat that brought a shiver of reaction rippling through Zero. He teased her tongue with his and Yuuki's breathing quickened, her hands sliding to tangle in Zero's silver hair and pull him closer.

But something… something was not quite right. Yuuki broke the kiss and drew back, frowning a little. Her back felt… exposed, for one thing. And for another, Zero felt… distant… from her. Oh, it was a very nice kiss. Very. But still…

"What is it?" whispered Zero, wondering if she'd realised it yet. Or if she found the kiss in any way wanting…

Yuuki glanced down at his hands. Each was now clenched into a fist. It was obvious that Zero was having some trouble holding onto his promise.

"You… you're not holding me!" she burst out. "That's what's wrong!"

Ah, so it was due to that - she'd finally noticed. Zero fought to keep the grin off his face. "Well, you did say no touching…" he said, trying for a note of concern in his voice and adding a puzzled frown to make it more believable.

"Yes, but I – I mean, you should…" Yuuki floundered, blushing furiously and still looking at Zero's hands. Then she peeped up at him. Zero was looking at her with a tender smile on his lips. "You want me to hold you while we kiss?" he asked softly.

A small smile touched Yuuki's lips – Zero always knew how she felt. "Exactly" she whispered.

"And not touch you anywhere else" he added, grinning now.

"Uhm… yeah…" muttered Yuuki. _You didn't have to say that… _

"And especially not…" the amethyst eyes flicked down to Yuuki's wet top and back again, though not without effort. "… your breasts"

"Ow!" he added a second later as Yuuki's fist landed on his arm, her eyes wide with horrified embarrassment. "You don't have to _say _it, Zero!" she said indignantly.

"Just wanted to make sure I'm not misunderstanding anything" he muttered ruefully, rubbing absently at his arm. Then, as Yuuki folded her arms, looking like she was about to change her mind, he relented. "OK, OK, just hold you, Yuuki…" he said, drawing her close to him.

Yuuki smiled again, letting Zero pull her closer. "OK…" she agreed, her hands sliding up to his bare shoulders once more. She closed her eyes as Zero's lips found hers again.

Zero took his time, running his tongue very lightly along Yuuki's lower lip until she moaned breathlessly and shifted against him, pressing even closer, her fingers sliding and tangling in his hair. Zero ended the torture and slipped his tongue inside Yuuki's waiting mouth before he forgot what he'd promised earlier.

Yuuki moaned softly as Zero explored her mouth and encouraged her tongue to play with his. Their breathing turned ragged and Zero, captivated by Yuuki's sweet response, quickly wrapped his arms tightly around her to keep his hands from wandering elsewhere.

But Yuuki's did. They found out how soft the skin at the back of Zero's neck was, then they started exploring the breadth of his shoulders and chest, slender fingertips and soft palms gliding over warm wet skin and making Zero groan deep in his throat. Such sweet torture… he slanted his lips over Yuuki's and deepened the kiss even further, in equally sweet retaliation. Yuuki's touch was innocent and her caresses tentative but they made Zero burn with longing to touch her in return, to pay back each maddening touch and each caress with one of his own.

He was starting to get seriously aroused again. And before it spiraled out of control, or he broke his promise and touched her where he was not supposed to, Zero broke the heated kiss, resting his cheek against hers, his breathing came out in ragged pants. Eyes still shut, he closed slightly shaking fingers around Yuuki's wrists, dragging her hands off his bare chest.

"You know, Yuuki… you're not... making it easy for me... to keep my promise…" he panted breathlessly against her cheek, his heart pounding away.

Yuuki pulled back, her breathing quick and light, enchanting colour flooding her cheeks again at the rueful and loving look Zero was now giving her. "I'm not?" she asked softly, wishing that he would just kiss her again.

Zero placed one of her hands over his heart. "What do you think?" he countered just as softly.

Yuuki could hear the very unsteady heartbeat beneath the warm skin under her palm. "Uhm… yeah…" she conceded. And since it appeared to be confession time… "Mine is too" she added.

"Oh really? Can I feel it?"

"No, Zero!"

He smiled then sighed, releasing her hands and sitting back. He ran his hands through his hair and groaned softly.

"Well…" whispered Yuuki, eyes still wide. "Erm… have you had enough?"

Zero smiled at that, then reached out to place long fingers under Yuuki's chin. "Never" he vowed, looking deeply into large, meltingly soft brown eyes that widened even more at his heartfelt admission. As Yuuki blushed again, he added resignedly "But enough for now" He leaned forward to drop a light kiss on Yuuki's lips, before standing up and pulling Yuuki to her feet.

"You'd better get out of those wet clothes, Yuuki… go take your shower" he said, striving for a more normal tone. He didn't wait for her reply before turning and walking towards the door.

"Wait!"

Zero stopped and turned. "What?" he asked, before finding himself clasped around the waist by Yuuki. She hugged him tight for a moment, her face buried in his chest, the still unsteady sound of his heartbeat in her ear. She loved it when Zero was open with her. When he was honest with her. And courageous in his love for her.

Zero's arms closed around her, returning the hug. He had no idea what brought this on, but he had no complaints for sure…

Yuuki stepped back. "Thanks, Zero" she said softly, smiling up at him.

Zero's fingers threaded through her hair, gently pushing back the wet auburn strands. "For what?" he asked.

Yuuki smiled again. "For just being you" she said simply.

Zero stared at her for a moment, then his lips curved as well. "And thanks to you for being you, too" he said, tapping her lightly on the nose. Then he placed his hands on her shoulders and spun her around. "Go take your shower, Yuuki" he ordered. "I'll wait…"

And as he walked out of the bathroom, Zero added silently _… for as long as it takes, Yuuki, I'll wait for you…_

-- End --


	35. Chap 16: Assumptions

**Author Notes:** A short chapter… This premise has been done a million times before, I know, but here's my take on a most familiar situation anyway… enjoy! More comments on my bio page.

**Disclaimer:** I don't (but wish I did) own Vampire Knight, that honour belongs to Matsuri Hino.

-- Start --

Chairman Cross was just seeing off an ex-colleague from his hunter days, who had dropped by Cross Academy after dinner one night. He gave a final wave as the other man got into his car, then stepped back into the compounds of Cross Academy and exchanged brief greetings with the gatekeeper as the elderly man locked the imposing gates.

It was a warm night and Chairman Cross peered at his wristwatch. Ten o'clock – that meant Zero and Yuuki would be back from their patrol in a few minutes. Perhaps they'd watch some TV before calling it a night…

He took his time walking up the grassy slope, glancing around at the quiet surroundings and noting the still lit classrooms in the near distance where the Night Class lessons were in progress. As he walked up the path leading directly to the main building, he paused, hearing the murmur of voices. It looked like his children - bless their hearts - had already finished their nightly patrol.

Nearing the front door, the Chairman realized their voices were coming from the side of the building, where a long covered walkway led from the classrooms. Both their voices sounded urgent… and he paused, curious, before tip-toeing very softly to the corner of the building, but still hiding behind the wall.

"What, here?" Yuuki's voice sounded a little panicky and Chairman Cross could almost picture her looking around.

"Here and now, Yuuki… I – I can't wait…" Zero's voice was a low tortured groan, followed by a shuddering gasp.

A resigned sigh followed. "Against the wall, no less… Whatever next -" Yuuki's voice broke off with a gasp. "Hey, Zero!"

"Don't worry, I won't let you fall" Zero's voice sounded distracted. "Quickly, Yuuki, I don't want anyone to see us like this…"

"Neither do I. OK, OK, I - I'm taking it off as fast as I can!"

"Here, let me do it…"

"No! You almost tore it the last time, I'll do it…"

A short pause followed while the Chairman leaned against the wall with bated breath, his eyes wide.

"Open up your legs, Yuuki…"

Another pause followed.

"Open wider, Yuuki, I can't… reach…"

A very embarrassed giggle sounded. "This wide enough for you?" Yuuki sounded as if she might very well be blushing.

"Definitely…" Zero's voice sounded satisfied at this point.

Yuuki's gasp now sounded like she was trying not to giggle again. "Ooh… Zero!"

A soft masculine chuckle sounded. "Mmm, you like that, don't you…"

"Well, I – ooh… Hurry up, will you?"

Another pause. Then another giggle.

"I like it when you do it gently like this, Zero…" Yuuki's voice was soft. Tender.

A longer pause this time. Eyes dilating wildly, the Chairman found himself clutching at the wall, his mouth open, hardly believing what he was hearing and quite torn between taking a peep around the wall and dreading what he would actually see.

There was a soft shriek from Yuuki now. "Stop pulling me, Zero, I – we're both going to fall!"

There was a pause as Zero's ragged breathing sounded. "We won't fall, Yuuki… just relax, and hold onto my shoulders… yes, like that.."

Silence again as Chairman Cross slowly and silently counted to twenty while contemplating the feasibility of several torture methods that he'd heard of back in his hunter days, for Zero's enjoyment, after his… tryst. He bit back a growl of parental rage with difficulty.

A soft groan came from Zero. An answering "Shhh" came from Yuuki.

There was another silence. The Chairman started counting again, backwards this time, his hands now clenched into tight fists at his sides.

"No, don't stop now, Zero…" Yuuki's voice was soft.

"Enough!" Zero's breathing was still ragged.

"… more, Zero" came Yuuki's soft voice, her tone almost pleading.

"Enough, Yuuki, I know you're exhausted already"

"Well… just a little… " Yuuki's voice sounded sleepy.

"Hey, you OK?"

"Don't worry, Zero, I'm fine…"

"It – it didn't hurt…?" Zero sounded concerned.

"I told you already, Zero, it never hurts"

There was a sigh of relief. "That's good… Ugh, I'm sweating again"

There was a soft giggle from Yuuki. "Me too…"

There was another while of silence and the older man bit his lip, trying very hard not to imagine what his mind was already mercilessly imagining anyway.

"Yuuki… do you remember the first time this happened?"

"I - yes" Yuuki's voice was hushed. Reluctant.

"I hurt you then, and I scared you as well. I'm sorry, Yuuki" Zero's voice was soft with remorse.

"Don't apologise, Zero. You… surprised me, that's all"

"You were so innocent.. grabbing you like that… giving you no explanation…"

"Well, you were not yourself then…"

"From behind too… and in the corridor, it was unforgivable…"

"Zero, please…"

"And only after you had pulled away, and I saw the blood did I realise what I'd done to you…"

"Zero, please… it had to happen sooner or later…"

"And then Kuran showed up, I thought he would kill me on the spot"

"Don't bring up that time, Zero. It's never hurt after that…"

"Yes, it did… and recently too" Zero's voice was suddenly hard as he continued. "I don't know how you can be so forgiving. You're always giving to me, and I'm always taking from you…"

"Don't say it like that! Look at me, Zero, you make me feel good too, you know…"

A long pause.

"You do? Is it because I…" The rest of Zero's voice was low and muffled.

Yuuki giggled softly. "Yes… and you know I love it when you do that" Her sigh was a sigh of pure contentment this time. Still eavesdropping, the Chairman swallowed hard. His Yuuki… had she – had she already grown up so much? Since when?

A chuckle sounded from Zero. "Yeah, I know"

"Thank you, Yuuki"

"You're welcome, Zero… anytime…" A sigh sounded. "Well, let's go in otherwise Father will be wondering where we are…"

"OK, but we'd better shower first, I don't want him to see us like this…" Zero's voice sounded guilty as hell.

Chairman Cross no longer knew what to think - his mind was spinning around in circles - but he quickly darted back into the house and found himself in the kitchen without quite knowing how he'd gotten there, angry and upset, his chest heaving with emotion. He heard Zero and Yuuki entering, still speaking to each other. The older man stationed himself at the kitchen door and stood there with hands on his hips.

"Me first for the bath – " Yuuki broke off as she saw their Father leaning at the kitchen door, a thunderous expression on his face. The sudden guilty look on both Yuuki's and Zero's faces almost made him choke.

"Zero! Yuuki! What on earth was that?!" The Chairman's face was angry. No, furious was more like it. His colour was high, the usually kindly eyes behind his glasses snapped fire and he looked like he was literally going to explode with rage at any second.

Yuuki blinked, then glanced at Zero who looked as surprised as she felt. She looked back at the older man. "What was what, Father?" she asked, her tone conveying complete bewilderment.

The Chairman jerked his chin towards the living room. "That! Happening right out there, that's what! How could you do this, Zero? After what I said? After what we agreed? And when was the first time? Why didn't Kaname tell me? Frankly, I'm surprised you're still alive, Zero!"

He stopped to catch his breath and saw the even more bewildered looks on his two children's faces, which only made him fume all the more. Yuuki gave a glance at Zero which clearly said that while she didn't know what was going on, they had to tread very, very carefully in what they said or did now in order not to make things worse.

Zero wasn't looking at her. He was looking at the Chairman's apoplectic face and he now started to frown the way he usually did while puzzling out a complex Algebra problem. Then surprisingly, the frown disappeared and his lips quirked. The Chairman snorted disbelievingly when he saw Zero trying manfully to suppress a grin.

Then he started laughing, which made both Yuuki and the Chairman stare at him in astonishment. After a few moments, Yuuki found herself smiling and even laughing a little although she didn't know why. Zero's laugh was just that infectious and she loved how it lit up his face like that…

The Chairman still looked angry and increasingly astonished at the display of complete lack of guilt from his two seriously misbehaving children. But – but if they truly were innocent… a sudden and belated realisation was starting to dawn on him. Could it be that he was mistaken then? He started shaking his head. "Something tells me I may have misread what happened" he muttered now, having the grace to look just a bit embarrassed.

Yuuki's smile disappeared as she turned puzzled eyes on him. "Misread what, Father?" she asked, causing Zero to choke on his own saliva. The Chairman kept silent, his colour still high but with a completely different emotion this time.

After a minute, Zero managed to sober up. He bent down to whisper something in Yuuki's ear. Her eyes grew wide and she gaped at him before fixing the Chairman with a furious glare that almost made the older man quail in his shoes.

"Father!" she said in scandalised tones mixed with a righteous indignation that just made Zero laugh again.

"Well…" hedged the Chairman. "Hem, I thought… you know, that… well, never mind…"

"We were - Zero was just -" Yuuki broke off and glanced at Zero.

Zero stopped laughing almost immediately. Then he sighed and looked at the older man. "Yuuki was letting me drink her blood, Father" he said quietly. It was his turn to flush a little now but he met the Chairman's gaze squarely. _You did tell Yuuki I could..._

The older man blinked then looked at Yuuki. Without a word, she undid the first button of her shirt again and pulled her collar down a little, showing the fresh bite wounds at her neck. The Chairman now noticed the slight bloodstains on the otherwise snowy collar of her shirt.

"But what you said…" he broke off uncertainly under the weight of Zero's and Yuuki's steady gazes. Zero thought back to what had happened between him and Yuuki earlier… he could still recall their exchange almost word for word…

…………

An hour before that, Yuuki sighed with relief as the two Day Class girls with sullen expressions disappeared into the Sun Dorm entrance. She turned to the silver haired boy at her side. "Phew, that's done! Let's go back, huh, Zero?"

Zero nodded briefly. Moving away from the dorm gates, they started back towards the main building of Cross Academy. They had caught the two girls trying to scale the Moon Dorm wall while on their patrol round. Startled by Zero's harsh command of "Get down here, now!", one of the girls had lost her balance and fallen onto the grass, scraping her knee on the cement wall in the process.

Yuuki had hurriedly slapped a band aid on the bleeding knee before she and Zero quickly and unceremoniously hustled both girls back to their dorms with a stern admonition not to pull that stunt ever again.

"I wonder if Father's visitor has already left?" Yuuki asked Zero more to distract him than anything else, but he didn't answer. They were now walking along one of the covered walkways connected to the main building, and Zero stopped suddenly, holding out his arm to halt Yuuki as well. His breathing had been sounding increasingly laboured for the past few minutes now and Yuuki glanced at him, knowing what it meant. Then Zero's hand found hers and he pulled her over to the side of the building.

"Yuuki…" he whispered. Yuuki saw the glint of fangs between his lips and she looked around hurriedly.

"Zero… now?" she asked softly, her own voice a little breathless.

"Yes"

Yuuki bit her lip for a moment… but they couldn't go in now – what if the vampire hunter that dropped by just now was still in the living room and saw Zero with the symptoms of bloodlust on his face?

She shot another glance around. "What, here?" her voice started to sound a little panicky.

"Here and now, Yuuki… I – I can't wait…" groaned Zero.

Fortunately, the classrooms where the Night Class were having lessons in were a good distance away. Yuuki sighed resignedly.

"Against the wall, no less…" muttered Yuuki. "Whatever next -" She broke off and gasped as Zero suddenly caught her around the waist, lifting her to let her sit on the ledge of the window behind her. "Hey, Zero!"

"Don't worry, I won't let you fall" Zero muttered distractedly as his chin started nudging aside her shirt collar. "Quickly, Yuuki, I don't want anyone to see us like this…"

"Neither do I. OK, OK, I – I'm taking it off as fast as I can!" Yuuki's fingers fumbled with her jacket buttons before shrugging it off, her movements hampered by the window at her back.

"Here, let me do it…" Zero let go of Yuuki's slender waist.

"No!" Yuuki slapped his hands away before shrugging her jacket off. "You almost tore it the last time, I'll do it…" She undid the first two buttons of her shirt and Zero stepped forward, closing the gap between them. But he couldn't get closer – Yuuki's legs were crossed at the ankles.

"Open up your legs, Yuuki…" Yuuki obligingly uncrossed her legs and Zero pushed closer to her. Her head was above his now, the window ledge being quite high up, and Zero arched his neck to reach hers.

"Open wider, Yuuki, I can't… reach…"

Yuuki shifted inwards on the ledge, bending forward slightly to rest her hands on Zero's shoulders. She parted her legs rather self-consciously and giggled embarrassedly. "This wide enough for you?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

"Definitely…" Zero murmured as he licked at one delicate earlobe before taking it into his mouth.

Yuuki gasped softly, her head jerking aside. "Ooh… Zero!"

Zero chuckled softly against her ear. "Mmm, you like that, don't you…"

"Well, I – ooh… Hurry up, will you?"

Zero licked her ear once more, making Yuuki squirm and giggle again before his lips travelled down to the pulse beating quickly at the base of the slender throat. He licked the area then bit down gently, despite his hunger and her intoxicatingly sweet scent, surrounding him as she unhesitatingly wrapped her arms around his neck.

Yuuki inhaled softly. "I like it when you do it gently like this, Zero…"

Zero was occupied drinking her blood, his warm lips and tongue caressing her skin at the same time. Yuuki tangled one hand in his hair, her other hand searching and finding the soft skin at the back of Zero's neck. Her feather light strokes made Zero's grip tightened on her in response, pulling her towards him and slightly off the window ledge. Yuuki let out a soft shriek. "Stop pulling me, Zero, I – we're both going to fall!"

The warm mouth at her neck paused for a moment even as the strong arms around her tightened. "We won't fall, Yuuki… just relax, and hold onto my shoulders… yes, like that.."

Yuuki relaxed completely into Zero's arms, trusting him to bear her weight, her legs now catching automatically around his hips, holding him close, making Zero groan softly in delight. Yuuki hushed him immediately. She could feel Zero was slowing down now, and he pulled away slightly after a few moments, licking at the twin wounds he had made, before pressing his tongue against them to stem the bleeding.

"No, don't stop now, Zero…" Yuuki knew he hadn't had quite enough.

"Enough!" Zero's breathing was still ragged but he controlled himself, trembling.

"Take more, Zero" came Yuuki's soft voice, her tone almost pleading.

"Enough, Yuuki, I know you're exhausted already"

"Well… just a little… " Yuuki said sleepily, suppressing a yawn.

"Hey, you OK?"

"Don't worry, Zero, I'm fine…"

"It – it didn't hurt…?" Zero's eyes were filled with concern and Yuuki smiled reassuringly. "I told you already, Zero, it never hurts"

Zero sighed in relief. "That's good…" Then he grimaced. "Ugh, I'm sweating again"

Yuuki giggled. "Me too…"

Zero pressed his lips to her hair as he held her for a moment. Then he spoke. "Yuuki… do you remember the first time this happened?"

"I - yes" Yuuki was reluctant for Zero to bring it up. It was in the past where it belonged and she never held it against him.

"I hurt you then, and I scared you as well. I'm sorry, Yuuki" Zero's body trembled softly against hers and Yuuki hugged him tighter.

"Don't apologise, Zero. You… surprised me, that's all" Yuuki's fingers threaded gently through the soft silver hair.

"You were so innocent.. grabbing you like that… giving you no explanation…"

"Well, you were not yourself then…" Yuuki smiled down at him.

"From behind too… and in the corridor, it was unforgivable…" Zero's eyes closed in remembered guilt.

"Zero, please…"

"And only after you had pulled away, and I saw the blood did I realise what I'd done to you…"

"Zero, please… it had to happen sooner or later…" Yuuki placed her fingers over his lips, not wanting him to continue torturing himself like this but he turned his head aside.

"And then Kuran showed up, I thought he would kill me on the spot" Zero could still see the cold fury in the pureblood's face as he looked upon Yuuki's shocked face, her hand clapped to her bleeding neck, and realised what had happened when he saw the blood staining Zero's lips, chin and school shirt, his eyes red with bloodlust.

"Don't bring up that time, Zero. It's never hurt after that…" Yuuki's slender hands held Zero's face gently as she bent forward and touched her forehead to his.

"Yes, it did… and recently too" Zero's eyes closed in remembered pain. "I don't know how you can be so forgiving. You're always giving to me, and I'm always taking…"

"Don't say it like that!" Yuuki was starting to get angry. "Look at me, Zero, you make me feel good too, you know…"

Zero looked into Yuuki's gentle eyes, finally realising he was also hurting her by bringing up all the old memories. He stopped at once, kissing her gently on the lips. Yuuki kissed him back and Zero smiled, remembering what she'd just said.

"You do? Is it because I…" he broke off to kiss her again then murmured against her lips. "… because I hold you?" Talking like that with his lips against hers tickled, and Yuuki giggled again. "Yes… and you know I love it when you do that" she sighed softly as his arms tightened around her again.

Zero chuckled. "Yeah, I know" His eyes smiled into hers, letting her know more than words how much he treasured her.

"Thank you, Yuuki" he said softly.

"You're welcome, Zero… anytime…" Yuuki smiled down at him. Then she sighed. "Well, let's go in otherwise Father will be wondering where we are…"

"OK, but we'd better shower first, I don't want him to see us like this…" Yuuki glanced down to see Zero eyeing the bloodstains on the collar of her white school shirt. He then lifted her down from the window ledge. Yuuki redid the top two buttons of her shirt before catching up her fallen jacket. They skirted the building to reach the main door and peeped in cautiously. There was no one in the living room.

"Well, I guess that man's already left…" said Yuuki in relief.

"Yeah, I guess so…" returned Zero as they both walked across the living room towards the dining room.

…………

Zero now realised how easy it would have been to assume otherwise, especially to someone who was overprotective of Yuuki as the Chairman was, and who also knew how Zero felt about her.

With a sudden frisson of awareness, Zero knew he'd have felt exactly the same. He'd probably have jumped to the same conclusions as well. And he wouldn't even have waited until now to confront that person. He'd have put a stop to it right then. With his fists or his Bloody Rose gun. Or both. So he couldn't really fault the Chairman for jumping to the wrong conclusions.

"I'm sorry we scared you, Father" he said quietly. "But I promise you, nothing else happened."

Yuuki turned to stare at Zero open-mouthed – she'd never heard Zero sounding so… so… matured… before, and to the Chairman, no less... She blinked at him twice before looking back at the Chairman, comprehending from Zero's words the fear her Father must have felt just now. "Zero's right, Father. Nothing else happened" she said gently.

The older man was silent for a moment, staring at each of them in turn, registering the stark difference in Zero's quiet words now and how the angry young man he'd been just a few months earlier would have reacted…

The Chairman felt a sudden surge of pride for them both and to cover it up, he started blustering a little. "Well, don't – don't do it outside next time… the Night Class may catch the scent of blood you know… Well, what are we all standing around her for? Go on" he shooed them off in the general direction of their rooms. "Go on, get ready for bed, way past your bedtime…" It was probably the closest thing to an actual apology from him and although it was just only eleven o'clock at night, both Yuuki and Zero decided not to mention that fact.

Zero just nodded briefly but Yuuki darted forward impulsively to plant a loud smacking kiss on her Father's cheek before beaming at him. Then she turned around and grabbed Zero's arm to hustle him down the corridor. "Me first for the shower, Zero…"

Zero grumbled back good naturedly at her, more for their Father's benefit than anything else, since he didn't mind at all. His mind was still on the look on the Chairman's face when he had first confronted them.

Rounding the corner, they both stopped outside Zero's room door. Zero reached for the doorknob and paused, glancing at Yuuki. She was smiling at him. "You're not angry with Father, are you, Zero…" It was more of a statement than a question and Zero shook his head. "Nope. Because I know he loves you, Yuuki"

"I'm so glad you said that" she said softly, wanting him to know how much it meant to her that Zero had said what he did. He wasn't as close to the Chairman as she was, and she couldn't blame him for that, what with her father's sometimes eccentric behaviour, his approval and acceptance of Kaname and his pacifist views on vampires in general but all the same, what Zero had said just now warmed her heart.

Yuuki always knew she had the whole hearted love of the three important and wonderful men in her life but she really felt the love from two of them at this very moment, and her generous heart overflowed with happiness.

"He's not the only one who loves me, Zero… and I'm so lucky, I know that" she said very softly. Zero retuned her smile without saying anything, perhaps feeling he'd already said too much tonight.

Yuuki understood that too and she smiled once more at him before turning towards her own room.

-- End --


	36. Chap 17: Holiday Break Part 1

**Author Notes:** OK, time for our favourite couple to get out of Cross Academy again. This is Part 1 of a new multi part chapter. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Vampire Knight but I do own Hold Me...

-- Start --

There was going to be a four day school break soon, courtesy of a public holiday that coincided with a weekend. Most of the students would be heading back to their families for the break. Even Kaname Kuran the charismatic Moon Dorm leader, would be following Assistant Dorm Leader Takuma Ichijo back to his family home, the Ichijo mansion.

It was a warm afternoon two days before the holiday started, and the two School Prefects were enjoying their lunch break under the shade of the big tree overlooking the lake - Zero's favourite spot. Although Yuuki had asked Yori to join them, the petite blond had politely declined, deciding that the heavy frown Zero was directing at her at that moment actually meant something more than his usual sullen disposition. However, Yori had to admit that she was seeing less and less of that as well, as the days went by.

Zero rolled his eyes as he crammed the last of his sandwich into his mouth. "Another family vacation" he said. The sarcastic tone was quite lost on Yuuki, seeing as the words themselves were quite unintelligible and she continued to grin happily. "A beach trip, won't it be grand?" she said excitedly, shaking back auburn strands of hair tossed by the warm breeze. She sighed happily before flopping down on the grass beside Zero. Inwardly, Zero didn't mind where they went, having come to the point where anywhere was fine with him as long as Yuuki came along and as long as Kuran, or anyone else, didn't. He supposed the Chairman's presence couldn't be helped, seeing as he was their adopted Father and the one paying for the vacation.

All the same, the silver haired vampire grimaced, thinking of the (un)memorable vacation a few years back when he had suffered a panic attack and a bad case of heatstroke while looking for the Chairman and Yuuki, both seemingly disappeared in the wild tropical jungle.

Yuuki saw Zero's look and laughed. "Oh, you're not still thinking of _that _trip, Zero... just relax, it'll be fun this time, you'll see!"

Zero shrugged, his grimace smoothing out as he watched Yuuki shake the hair out of her eyes again and the breeze carried her enticingly sweet scent to his nose. "Father's booking an apartment this time instead of a single hotel room…" Yuuki paused to peep at Zero as she said this and got a meaningful look from amethyst eyes that made her blink before she continued "And uh, it has two bedrooms, a living room, and a kitchenette."

Zero shrugged – it just meant that he and the Chairman would be sleeping in the same room for a couple of nights – and Yuuki huffed a little at his lack of interest. "I'm also inviting Yori along" she added, not noticing how Zero's expression became guarded all of a sudden.

"Yori? Sayori? Why is _she _coming along?" Zero couldn't stop the slightly resentful tone that had crept into his voice. He was actually looking forward to having Yuuki all to – well, almost all himself for this trip. Yuuki eyed him suspiciously. "Why can't she?" she asked instead. Zero shrugged carelessly but his frown remained.

Yuuki was silent for a moment before she said more gently "Well, it would be nice to have Yori along, otherwise I'll be the only girl there, you know. At least I'll have someone to gossip and giggle with..."

There was still no response from the boy beside her and Yuuki huffed. "Oh, you're a guy, Zero, you wouldn't understand!" She tossed her head slightly for emphasis. It wasn't that Zero didn't understand, it was just something he never actually realised. "Oh…" he said now, his tone slightly chagrined. Yuuki was more sensitive of his tone now and she paused. She knew Zero and Yori didn't really get along but still… "It really would be nice if Yori came with us" she said.

Zero nodded silently. He hesitated for a moment before looking at her. "We'd have to be careful in front of her" he said quietly. Yuuki caught his meaning instantly – they could let their guard down in front of their adopted father – well, a little at least - since the Chairman already knew about Zero being a vampire and what he and Yuuki did, not that they ever intended to let him actually _see _Zero drinking her blood, but Yori didn't know about either one. "All right" she said and smiled a little.

Casting around for a change of subject, she remembered something else. "Oh, and Father is expecting us to cook dinner tomorrow night, Yori will be joining us too…"

Zero just lifted an eyebrow in response before shrugging again. He still wasn't really reconciled to the fact that that Yori would be joining them for this year's trip. He didn't really have anything against her per se, but her steady green eyed gaze had a way of making him feel that she knew everything about him… and unlike the soft and compassionate understanding in Yuuki's soft brown eyes, Yori's didn't necessarily show the same emotion.

"Zero?"

"Hmm?"

"You'll teach me how to make spaghetti with meatballs for dinner, won't you?" asked Yuuki with a winsome smile, not above using her feminine wiles to get her own way.

Zero gave a mock sigh which didn't fool her one bit. "All right" he agreed. Just him and Yuuki in the kitchen - it could be a lot worse.

- o -

The following evening, after class changeover, Zero prepared the spaghetti before going off to take a shower. Yuuki already had her shower and in view of the warm evening, and in anticipation of the upcoming trip, was wearing a sleeveless flower print sun dress in a warm shade of yellow, humming under her breath as she fixed a green salad.

She had actually started on the Bolognese sauce without Zero and was rather proud of how it had turned out, considering it was her first attempt. Of course, the fact that most of it had come out of a bottle probably helped as well.

Zero entered the kitchen, his eyes warm with admiration at the slender figure standing by the stove. "Hey…" he said, coming to stand beside her to take in the enticingly sweet smell that was Yuuki's alone. Unfortunately, it was masked by the pungent and fragrant aroma arising from the pot that was bubbling on the stove so Zero bent to bury his face at the back of Yuuki's neck and inhale deeply.

Yuuki was stirring the sauce and she giggled, reaching up behind her to push slender fingers into still damp silvery hair and pull Zero's head away. "Silly, the sauce is in the pot, not on my hair!"

"That's why…"

Yuuki ignored him as she lifted the wooden spoon from the bubbling sauce and blew on it before swiping her index finger in the sauce that coated the spoon. "Mmm… I think it needs more salt. What do you think, Zero?" she asked, holding out the dripping spoon, her other hand cupped underneath it to catch any spills. Instead of swiping the sauce with his own finger, Zero caught hold of Yuuki's cupped hand and dipped her middle finger in the sauce. Yuuki gasped in surprise, staring at him as he lifted her hand to his mouth and licked the sauce off her finger.

"Mmm… I think you're right" he said casually, dropping her hand and reaching for the salt. Yuuki stared at her tingling finger for a moment but didn't say anything. She suddenly started stirring the sauce as though her life depended on it. Zero caught the slight bloom of colour in her cheeks and hid a smile.

"Let's see…" he murmured, sprinkling some salt into the pot. He waited until Yuuki had stirred the sauce and tasted it again, holding the spoon in her left hand and using her right index finger this time.

"Do you – do you want to taste it again, Zero?" Yuuki asked, still looking at the spoon. The slight note of breathlessness in her voice made him smile again. "Sure" he said, reaching for her right hand. Yuuki folded it in front of her, out of his reach. "Hey, use your own hand, Zero!" she reprimanded.

Zero moved fast. Stepping behind her, he reached in front and deftly caught her right wrist. At the same time, his left hand closed over her left hand that was holding onto the spoon.

Two seconds later, Yuuki shrieked softly "Zero!" She stared in disbelief at her right hand, now smeared front and back with warm Bolognese sauce from the spoon. It had cooled somewhat so it didn't burn her skin but Yuuki dropped the spoon back into the pot in surprise, still staring at her hand.

A soft chuckle sounded in her ear as Zero's left hand reached for the burner switch, flicking it off before snaking around her slender waist. Yuuki half turned to the right, damp auburn hair swinging, looking up to see her right hand brought up to the level of Zero's lips.

He paused to raise an eyebrow at Yuuki and her breath caught suddenly, arrested by the wicked twinkle in his eyes. "Oops, clumsy me…" Zero said softly.

"Zero…" Yuuki breathed, torn between shaking her head at him and laughing.

"Looks like I have to clean up, huh?"

Yuuki smiled and nodded, shivering a little with delicious anticipation. She settled back against Zero's chest, turned a little more to her right as she watched Zero's lips touched her hand.

The entire cleaning process took almost eight whole minutes to complete, by which time Yuuki was depending on Zero's arm around her waist to keep her upright as her legs had pretty much turned to jelly. She didn't bother to quibble about the fact that while only three of her fingers actually had sauce on them, Zero still thought it necessary to clean the other two with equal thoroughness, sucking each finger into his mouth with tantalising slowness, before sliding his tongue and lips over the entire length, fully aware of Yuuki's speeded up pulse and her rather shallow breathing.

When Zero had finally finished with her trembling fingers, he turned his attention to her palm, lapping up the sauce with his tongue, paying special attention to the sensitive skin between her fingers that he knew would make Yuuki's breath hitch softly in her throat. Her left hand had closed over his left arm at her waist, slender fingers absent-mindedly caressing the smooth skin of his forearm.

Zero enjoyed himself thoroughly – each of Yuuki's soft gasps and breathy moans fell on his ears like sweet music and he had learnt from past experience which spots made her breath hitch the most. She smelled and tasted of Bolognese but it was heavenly all the same. His left arm pulled her even closer against his chest, loving the feel of Yuuki's body against his own, loving the feel of her light caresses on his bare arm.

"Delicious…" he murmured wickedly, smiling into Yuuki's wide eyes and making her blush again. She closed them resolutely, which just made him smile a little more.

After he had finally licked off all the sauce from Yuuki's hand to his satisfaction, he turned his attention to the underside of her wrist. His fangs had lengthened just a little and Yuuki's eyes snapped open as he grazed them very, very lightly on the almost translucent skin, not drawing blood although he was very tempted to.

"Zero? Do you want…?" Yuuki's voice was a soft breathless murmur.

"No, just… playing a little" he told her softly. "Besides Yori will be here at any minute…" he added, not without a little regret.

Yuuki had forgotten. She pulled away slightly, a distracted frown appearing between her delicate eyebrows. "Yes, and so will Father if we don't stop this right now"

Someone coughed delicately by the kitchen door and both silver and auburn heads swung towards that sound, Zero still holding Yuuki against him. Yori was standing there, a surprised smile on her face at the unexpectedly tender scene she'd just witnessed.

"Yori-chan! Oh, you're here already!" breathed Yuuki as she blushed and quickly twisted free from Zero's embrace. He quickly let go of Yuuki's waist, as well as the small hand he'd been ravishing. "Um… Yori" he acknowledged, running a distracted hand through his hair.

Yori's wide green eyes swung from Zero to Yuuki and back again. "I hope I was not interrupting the… um, cooking…" she murmured.

"It's done" said Zero briefly, stepping away from Yuuki. He went over to the other counter and started taking down plates from the cupboard, scowling at each one in turn. He didn't see the sly wink that Yori directed at a red faced Yuuki but her softly spoken comment of "Delicious, hmm?" made his ears burn all the same.

- o -

"Well, Yori, are you coming with us tomorrow?" asked the Chairman as he beamed at Yori. She smiled back at him. "Of course, Chairman… and thank you for inviting me" she said.

"Great! We'll have such fun!" said Yuuki happily. Yori smiled at her and nodded, then glanced over at Zero. He didn't look very happy, though.

"Delicious spaghetti, Yuuki!" beamed the Chairman, helping himself to more sauce. Yuuki thanked him then glanced at Zero. He was looking studiously at his plate.

"All food made with love will taste good" added Yori, with an innocent smile at Yuuki beside her, and was duly rewarded with a slap on her arm. Yuuki then shot another glance at Zero and this time, he was looking directly at her, his meaningful glance and raised eyebrow reminding her of what had happened earlier. Yuuki blushed as she bit her lip and frowned at him.

Both Yori and Chairman Cross witnessed the silent exchange with raised eyebrows but offered no comment.

After dinner, the older man asked Zero to escort Yori back to the Sun Dorm. "I'll come with you" added Yuuki quickly, knowing that Zero would not look forward to the short walk with Yori – they hardly spoke to each other in any case. But the blond girl only smiled at Yuuki and shook her head. "It's OK, Yuuki-chan, you should start packing for the trip tomorrow…"

"Oh! Well then…" Yuuki glanced at Zero who shrugged back at her.

Yori thanked them for dinner and wished the Chairman and Yuuki good night, before following Zero out the door. They walked in silence, finally slowing down as they reached the gates of the Sun Dorm.

"So - you coming with us tomorrow?" Zero's tone was abrupt and although he tried to make his voice expressionless, it came out sounding rather terse… rude even.

"Yes, I am" answered Yori, her tone and manner unruffled as she turned to face Zero. "I know you don't want me to come, Zero-kun…"

Yori watched, as Zero's lips tightened in annoyance, both at her direct words as well as how she persisted in calling him 'Zero-kun'. Well, the Chairman had invited her, hadn't he, so how dare he show her that sour face? It wasn't as if she'd be monopolising Yuuki's attention all the time… Or perhaps he was worried that he wouldn't be able to do certain - activities - with Yuuki in front of her?

An imp of mischief surfaced and Yori smiled a little. "Don't worry, Zero-kun" she said with studied sweetness. "I already know about your… secret"

Zero froze for a moment, his jaw clenched. Then he pushed his hands in his pockets in a deliberately casual manner. "What secret?" he asked in a bored voice. If you mean that I'm in love with Yuuki - well, that's not much of a secret…

"That you're a vampire… a made one"

Yori's voice was soft but Zero stopped breathing, his heartbeat suddenly pounding in his ears. His jaw actually dropped as he stared at her. Yori knew! But how? Yuuki can't have told her! So how could she know?

"How – how did you know? And how long have you known?" Zero asked in a shocked whisper, his eyes wide. It was the second time he'd had his secret discovered – during Kaname's recent surprise birthday party, courtesy of a certain tousle-haired impulsive blond, and now.

Yori ignored his questions. "I also know that the Night Class are all vampire nobles… born ones" Her tone was as casual as if Zero had just asked her if she thought it might rain tonight.

Zero blinked, astounded.

Yori's eyes were calm as they looked back at him fearlessly. "To answer your first question, since the time you and Yuuki hid in the garden storeroom after you made Mariko-chan fall and scrape her knee by dragging her away from the Moon Dorm" she admitted.

Zero exhaled in surprise. "That long ago?" he asked, still stunned.

Yori nodded silently. "I've been suspicious of the Night Class students for some time actually… then I figured it out, it was the only explanation that made sense, really…" She shrugged. "Surprising that no one else has picked up on it. And then, when you hurried away instead of helping Yuuki-chan take Mariko-chan to the infirmary, well I suspected something was off. I was standing nearby, you know…"

"Does Yuuki know that you know…?"

Yori shook her head solemnly. "It was obviously a secret, so I never told her my suspicions."

Zero stared at her, a part of his mind wondering why she had seen fit to let him know when she hadn't let Yuuki know, then returned to his earlier questioning. "And then?"

Yori shrugged again. "So I followed you and saw you kneeling behind the garden storeroom, then later Yuuki found you and pulled you inside…"

"You _peeped _at us?" asked Zero next, feeling equal amounts of embarrassment and anger. Because that was the time when he'd tried his best to scare off Yuuki and it had backfired, of course. Because Yuuki was never afraid of him…

Yori shook her head solemnly. "The door was locked but there's a slight gap between the door and wall, and I could hear both your voices quite clearly, soft as they were..."

Zero looked away, then glanced back at her soberly. "I – I was only trying to – to scare her…" he explained a little haltingly. "I had no intention of hurting Yuuki" He didn't even know why he bothered to explain the situation to Yori. But she was Yuuki's friend too. And he wanted her to know at least this much, that he was only trying to push Yuuki away for her own good…

Yori nodded just as soberly. "I know, Zero-kun. I heard the whole conversation, remember?"

Zero was still staring intently at her although his shoulders relaxed a little.

Yori sighed. "Actually, I was also keeping a lookout for you two in case anyone else wandered by" Yori looked like she didn't know why she was saying this, but she decided that it probably wasn't a good idea to have Zero Kiriyu as your enemy. Besides, she didn't really have anything personal against him.

"Besides, how can you hurt her when you love her?"

Zero's body jerked tense again and he closed his eyes tightly for a moment before chancing a look at Yori. "You and the entire school, no doubt" he said tonelessly.

A small smile touched Yori's lips. "Not all… but a good portion, I'm sure" she said calmly. Her smile grew wider as she saw Zero's increasingly uncomfortable expression. "Remember the school dance? And how distracted you appeared the next morning when you went around looking for her? And how you seem to be staring at her all the time, even in class? And recently, of course, when you were so miserable the time she didn't talk to you?"

Zero had been looking more and more discomfited but at her last few words, his gaze turned slightly haunted as well. Yori sighed and held up a hand. "I don't even want to know what happened between the two of you to cause that" she said.

Zero realised that Yuuki had not told anyone at all about that happened between them that fateful night, and he relaxed slightly. But now that Yori knew his secret…

To Zero, it could only mean one thing, Yori confronting him like this. There had to be a reason why she hadn't wanted Yuuki to join them just now. So he looked at her grimly, his hands deep in his pockets. "All right, Sayori, so what do you want from me?" he asked tightly.

For once, Yori looked startled. "What do I want?" she repeated. Then she realised what Zero meant and her mouth fell open. "Oh… Zero-kun! Now I know why Yuuki punches you from time to time, you are a jerk! What makes you think I want anything from you?" she said indignantly.

Zero was still staring at her suspiciously so Yori tossed her head in a gesture that reminded him strongly of Yuuki. "Do you think I'd be so low as to stoop to blackmail?"

He continued staring at her in silence.

"And what do you have that I would want, anyway?" Yori asked scornfully.

Ouch - that made Zero start before he glanced away. Yori was right, he had nothing that she could ever want. He had nothing that anybody could _ever _want. And he didn't care as long as Yuuki didn't think that way too. But it made him realise that there was something that Yori could threaten him with – to no longer be a part of Yuuki's life.

"You won't… you won't ask me to stay away from Yuuki?" he asked quietly, feeling his heart tighten in his chest, unable to hide what he was feeling now.

Yori stared at him in surprise. She'd seen a couple of expressions on Zero's face by now, but this was different from all the rest. Zero looked… uncertain... almost fearful. Yori felt a sudden pang in her heart for this sullen boy standing in front of her. She'd never thought of him as being any other than Zero Kiriyu, grumpy and sullen school prefect, Yuuki's adopted brother… and yes, a made vampire. But seeing him like this now, and knowing what he was… but most of all, knowing how he felt about Yuuki…

Yori's gaze softened a little. "No, why would I? When it's obvious that you love Yuuki-chan? When it's just as obvious that she thinks the world of you?" she asked softly.

Zero swallowed again as he stared into Yori's eyes. Eyes that were fearless, open and sincere. He was starting to think he was in a dream.

Yori smiled a little at Zero's stunned expression, conscious of a fleeting sense of envy at Yuuki, what with both the charismatic Moon Dorm leader and Zero Kiriyu vying for her affections. It would be nice if she had someone as well… someone who loved her that much. Someone who would do anything for her. Well – there was someone, only he would never know… and Yori would never tell him how she felt.

"Well, good night, Zero" she said now as she turned away.

Zero watched her for a moment. Then he called out "So - you coming with us tomorrow?"

Yori paused for a moment then nodded to herself. Yes – it was the tone of the voice that made the question, and not so much the words themselves. She turned and smiled at Zero. "Yes, I am"

He stared at her a moment longer before his lips quirked in a crooked sort of half smile. "Good" he said. Without waiting to see her reaction, he turned and started walking back to the main building.

Well, well… Yori's eyebrows lifted then she smiled as she went through the Sun Dorm gates. She had some packing to do herself…

-- End --


	37. Chap 17: Holiday Break Part 2

**Author Notes: **Part 2… I think this chapter is going to end up as a 4 or 5 parter!

-- Start --

Early the next morning, the grounds of Cross Academy were a hive of activity as Day Class students emerged from the Sun Dorm complete with bags, and milled around near the main gates, waiting for their transportation that would take them away for the four day break. Most of the Night Class students had already left the night before right after classes ended, so Zero and Yuuki had one less thing to worry about. Only the Moon Dorm Leader and Assistant Leader remained as the Ichijo car would only arrive this morning.

Zero stood at the gates of Cross Academy with his hands in the pockets, his duffel bag slung onto his shoulder. He was dressed in his school uniform, as was the rest of the Day Class students – something that the Chairman had insisted on. "Won't it make a lovely sight?" he'd trilled happily when informing the less than ecstatic students of this a couple of days ago. A soft breeze ruffled the long silvery hair over Zero's eyes as the early morning sun touched the grounds and buildings. The students started to board the waiting buses that soon arrived outside the gates, as Zero waited for the Chairman and Yuuki to come out after locking up the main building.

Yori was also ready and waiting, standing quietly to one side, her bag at her feet. She'd nodded to Zero when she saw him but didn't seem inclined to speak to him this morning. Zero wondered anew how she'd managed to keep his secret as well as the secret of the Night Class to herself for so long - it looked like Yori was made of sterner stuff than he gave her credit for. After all, she'd never spoken to or treated him any differently even when she knew what he was, and she'd never been one to moon about any of the Night Class vampires, especially that playboy vampire Hanabusa Aido - _that _fact was enough to earn her extra brownie points in Zero's eyes.

After a moment, a different presence intruded on Zero's senses and he stiffened, knowing who it was. "Kiriyu-kun…" came that soft silky voice, and Zero swung around to meet the dark eyes of Kaname Kuran, still dressed in his Night Class uniform. Assistant Dorm Leader Takuma Ichijo stood a few steps behind, his customary smile missing for once. His expression was somber as if he wasn't happy at the thought of going home.

"Kuran. Ichijo." Zero nodded briefly.

Takuma finally roused himself to smile. "Good morning, Zero-kun…" he greeted. But the pureblood regarded Zero silently for a moment, and the latter braced himself for another verbal slinging match, since Yuuki was not here to witness and put a stop to it. But surprisingly, all Kaname said was "Take good care of Yuuki, Kiriyu-kun…"

A little surprised, Zero nodded without speaking. But Kaname hadn't quite finished speaking - "And remember, I won't let you go if you hurt her in any way."

Zero's eyes narrowed at him. "It's none of your business, Kuran. But you know I won't."

The dark eyes continued to regard him intently. "Are you sure, Kiriyu-kun?" Kaname asked softly, and the fine hairs on the back of Zero's neck lifted at the way the pureblood leader was looking at him now.

"That night during my party… when Aido spilt your secret… nothing happened between you and Yuuki after you both left?" the supple voice was very low now, the dark eyes probing and intense. It was obvious that Yuuki had actually managed to keep what had happened between them that night from Kaname… otherwise Zero knew he wouldn't even be here right now and still very much alive into the bargain. But despite the stoic expression on his face, he swallowed instinctively, unable to stop the painful flush he could feel now creeping up his cheeks.

Yes - something had happened. Something _major _had happened that night, that had caused a rift between Yuuki and himself for almost a week – the most miserable time he'd ever lived through, that had even rivalled if not surpassed the despair he felt four years ago after knowing what Shizuka's bite had done to him… Thankfully, the misunderstanding between him and Yuuki was all ironed out now. Zero even felt that perhaps it had somehow brought them just a little closer, in that he no longer needed to hide how he felt about her, and that she somehow, miraculously, still trusted and loved him, although not in the exact same way.

But it was something Zero never wanted anyone _else_ to find out, least of all the dangerous and overly protective pureblood standing right in front of him. So his answer was simply "Like you, I will never hurt Yuuki, Kuran."

Kaname did not answer. They stared at each other for a long moment - the dark haired pureblood, dressed in white. The silver haired ex-human, in black. Mirror images of each other. Both of them loving Yuuki and reluctantly accepting that the other loved her just as much, if not more.

Then the pureblood sighed softly. "Sometimes, we hurt the ones we love, Zero-kun… even though it is the last thing we intended" he murmured, half to himself.

Zero blinked, both at the unexpected words as well as the use of his name. What the...? He hesitated, wondering whether or not to ask further, and wondering whether or not he actually wanted to hear the answer.

"Kaname-sempai…!" Yuuki was waving wildly as she practically flew down the hill, her bag swinging on her shoulder, her face alight with excitement. With a soft "Take care, Kiriyu-kun…", the pureblood turned to greet Yuuki, a loving smile on his face now as he swept her into a tender embrace.

The sight caused a familiar ache starting in Zero's chest. He'd seen the pureblood hug Yuuki countless times by now but he was still affected by it, despite knowing that it never went any further than that. Zero was haunted by the fear that one day, Yuuki would be forced to choose between him and Kaname. And despite knowing that she loved them both, the odds were a million to one that she would choose _him_, when he could offer her nothing… and less than nothing actually, when compared to what Kuran could. Zero turned away, not wanting to dwell on such thoughts now, and encountered Yori's calm gaze. Her expression was softer… a little curious even, as though she could see the pain he felt, and he deliberately turned the other way, trying his best to tune out Yuuki's soft conversation with Kaname and Takuma.

A short while later, the two vampires took their leave of Yuuki and walked gracefully towards the limousine that had just slid up outside the gates.

"Zero, Yori-chan, let's go!"

Hands still in his pockets, Zero turned and walked towards Yuuki, her bag slipping down from her shoulder as she waved at them both. From behind the heavily tinted glass of the limousine, watchful dark eyes followed the slight auburn haired girl as she pulled the silver haired prefect's hand to make him walk faster. Without being told, Zero lifted the bag off Yuuki's shoulder and placed it on his own.

"You trust Kiriyu-kun, don't you, Kaname?" asked the sandy haired vampire beside him. Kaname half glanced at him before looking back out the window. "Yes I do, Takuma" he murmured. Then he sighed again. "But things will have to change… and soon" he added quietly.

Takuma looked at him, eyebrows slightly raised, but Kaname didn't elaborate on his rather cryptic statement and Takuma didn't probe any further as the limousine bore them away on their long journey to Takuma's family home.

The Chairman was waiting for his two adopted children and Yori at the Cross Academy garage, about fifty metres from the main gates. He'd stowed away his two large bags in the spacious boot of his car, a 2001 Honda Accord. Despite his half-hearted protests, all three students shed their school jackets and Zero his red silk tie before stuffing them in their respective bags, which they dropped in the boot as well.

Zero unbuttoned his shirtsleeve cuffs but stopped to catch the car keys the Chairman tossed to him. The silver haired prefect slid behind the wheel, slipping on his sunglasses and rolling up his sleeves as the others settled in, the older man in front beside him and the two girls at the back. Yuuki much preferred Zero's steady and skillful driving compared to her Father's, which could be erratic and heart stopping one minute, and much too slow the next, depending on his mood.

Zero talked even less than usual when he drove, something the Chairman had given up trying to change so he conversed mostly with Yuuki and Yori during the first part of the four hour journey to the seaside front, where they had rented the apartment.

Two hours later, they turned off the highway and came to a small town for a late breakfast / early lunch. "Brunch!" exclaimed Yuuki happily, her eager eyes having already spotted a café which sold ice-cream sundaes. She pointed it out to Yori and from the girls' excited chatter, both the Chairman and Zero knew that that was where they would end up.

It was a beautiful day and Zero was quite predisposed to enjoy himself and let down his guard a little, if only to enjoy a break from continuously having to pull the besotted Day Class girls away from the Night Class elite. Hence, when he exchanged a long suffering look with his Father, he didn't try too hard to hide the slight smile on his face.

The food turned out to be quite good actually, and the girls pronounced the sundaes excellent, devouring two apiece while Zero and the Chairman opted for black coffee in place of dessert, the latter's reproving comments eliciting no reaction whatsoever from the girls.

As they walked back out into the bright sunshine, Zero automatically slipped on his sunglasses again. He headed for the driver's seat of the Accord but paused when Yuuki pulled at his shirtsleeve. "Zero, sit at the back with me?" she asked. Yori looked at her in surprise. "I'm a little sleepy" the auburn haired girl admitted sheepishly, not wanting to mention that Zero's shoulder was a _very _comfortable place to lean on if you were planning on a nap. "You don't mind sitting in front for a while, Yori-chan? Father will drive…" she asked.

The Chairman took the car keys from Zero with alacrity as Yori shook her head, eyebrows still up. Ten minutes later, she pulled her increasingly nervous gaze from the road in front of her - courtesy of the Chairman's driving - and peeped behind to see Yuuki already fast asleep, her head pillowed on Zero's arm. He caught Yori's slightly amused glance and quickly looked away, willing himself not to flush as a fatherly chuckle sounded from the Chairman as he glanced into the rear view mirror.

Yori's head nodded too after a while, as both she and Yuuki had downed two ice-cream sundaes each, on top of a plate of fried rice. Her head drooped to the side a few times, causing the Chairman to take one hand off the steering wheel and both eyes off the road as many times, in order to stop Yori from hitting her head on the window beside her. That action alone was enough to keep Zero in a state of complete wakefulness.

Ten minutes later, the Chairman sighed and pulled to the side of the road. Yuuki blinked and opened her eyes. "Have we arrived?" she asked sleepily, still leaning on Zero's arm. "No" he murmured.

The Chairman then woke Yori up. "I think it's better if you sit at the back where you'll be more comfortable, Yori" he said. "Zero is uncomfortable enough about my driving without me having to watch out for you…" he added, earning himself a glare from his adopted son.

Yori clambered to the back seat without comment. She hadn't slept well last night and was still half asleep, otherwise she probably would have gone round to the other side of the car to sit next to Yuuki. As it was, Zero found himself with a sleepy Yuuki on one side of him and an equally sleepy Yori on the other side. He started to wonder if the Chairman would let him drive the rest of the way…

"Father?" he asked quietly. The Chairman glanced at him through the rear view mirror as he put the car into gear again. "I'm fine, Zero, the coffee I had just now will keep me awake" he said heartily. "You can sleep too if you want…" he added somewhat slyly, making Zero scowl at him - no way was he going to do that.

Fifteen minutes later, the older man glanced into the mirror again and broke into a wide grin, chuckling hugely to himself. Both girls had fallen fast asleep, each claiming one of Zero's arms as their pillow as the silver haired vampire sat frozen in place. Zero's fierce 'don't you dare say anything' glare was probably the only reason the older man kept silent.

After the Chairman had thankfully returned his attention to the road, Zero chanced a glance down at Yuuki. Gently, he slipped his arm out from under her cheek and placed it around her waist to pull her closer to his side, ignoring the fact that their Father would be able to see this as well. Yuuki murmured in her sleep but did not awaken. Zero let his other hand on Yori's side deliberately rest on his lap.

Both girls' bodies felt soft and pliant against his. Both of them smelled good as well… but to Zero, only Yuuki's scent had the power to affect him and there was a gentle warmth in his heart now as he took a chance and briefly buried his face in her silky hair.

All the same, when the Chairman executed an emergency brake to avoid hitting a reckless driver who had decided to overtake the car in front of him without first ensuring the next lane was clear of traffic, Zero's arm around Yuuki tightened at the same time he flung out his other arm to stop Yori from jerking too far forward, even though they'd all worn seatbelts.

"Sorry about that – you all OK back there?" asked the Chairman, glancing again into the rear view mirror once the danger was past.

"Yeah" replied Zero, loosening his hold on both girls as they half sat up wondering what had happened. Yuuki was surprised to see Yori in the back seat as well and on the other side of Zero, but the blond girl merely glanced up at Zero to murmur her thanks before leaning on his arm once more and letting her eyes drift shut. Yuuki did the same and silence reigned in the backseat once more.

Both girls woke up a few minutes before they reached their destination – a block of apartments that was well occupied during public and school holidays. As the Chairman parked the car at an available space, Yori grinned at Yuuki. "Well Yuuki-chan, now I know why you wanted Zero to sit at the back" she teased. Zero pretended not to hear her comment, quickly moving to the back of the car to retrieve their bags.

The apartment was small but adequately furnished, with twin beds in both bedrooms and a TV in the living room. Apparently, the Chairman expected them to do the cooking at least for their first night here, because he'd brought along his beloved multi purpose electric cooker as well as an assortment of fresh produce and meat, all neatly packed in a cooler. He pottered around in the kitchenette now, storing the food in the small refrigerator and leaving the others to unpack their stuff and look around. The small balcony at the living room offered a nice view of the seaside but it was much too hot to venture outside now.

Both girls, much refreshed after their long nap in the car, soon went downstairs to check out the shops located on the ground floor of the apartment high rise, leaving Zero quite alone. Well, a nap was probably a good idea, something which the Chairman agreed to as well.

- o -

Dinner was cooked and eaten at the table, by dipping the cut up vegetables and meat in the clear broth simmering in the electric cooker. The conversation was surprisingly quite enjoyable with Yori contributing her share and allowing Zero to be his usual taciturn self. She soon noticed the longing looks Zero directed at her friend whenever he thought no one was watching.

"Well and what shall we do now?" asked the Chairman after they had cleared up the dishes and wandered into the living room. Yori spotted a chess set next to the TV. "Would you like a game, Chairman Cross?" she asked, gesturing to the set. Yori was actually quite good at chess and Yuuki had mentioned to her a couple of times before how her Father had always tried to get her interested in the game, without much success.

Yori noted with inward amusement how both the Chairman's and Zero's faces lighted up at once, the former more obvious than the latter. "Wonderful!" beamed the older man as Yori brought the chess set over to the small coffee table. He settled himself on the sofa at once. "You don't mind?" he asked somewhat belatedly, glancing up at Yuuki and Zero who shook their heads silently.

"Well, why don't you take Yuuki for a walk, Zero-kun?" asked Yori in a "must I do everything?" tone of voice as she looked up and gave both of them a meaningful glance, her fingers deftly arranging the chess pieces on the board.

The Chairman agreed and shooed them off absently, his mind already on the challenge in front of him.

When they had reached the ground floor, both Yuuki and Zero walked out of the building and headed down towards the beach by tacit agreement. Their dinner had been relatively early, brought on by their early lunch, and most of the other occupants were now having their meal, leaving the beach relatively quiet.

"Father's not going to win the game this time" Yuuki commented with a laugh, as she kicked off her slippers and wriggled her bare feet in the fine sand. "Why, is Yori that good?" asked Zero, even though he was more interested in watching the sea breeze play with Yuuki's hair and the shawl she'd wrapped around her shoulders over her sleeveless dress. Zero slipped off his own beach sandals and looped the straps through Yuuki's slippers before letting them dangle from his fingers. With his other hand, he caught hold of Yuuki's fingers. She glanced up at him and Zero smiled ruefully but didn't release her hand. "Indulge me, Yuuki" he said softly. "At least for a while…"

Yuuki nodded and smiled without hesitation, giving his hand a little squeeze. Without speaking, they started walking along the beach. After a while, Yuuki drew closer to Zero and he released her hand to place his arm around her waist. Yuuki did the same to him and their steps slowed down and matched, hips brushing lightly against each other. Along this stretch of the beach, they were the only ones now, and Zero was fully and achingly aware of Yuuki beside him – her sweet scent, her soft breathing, the curve of one soft breast as it pressed to his side, and the firmer but still soft curve of her hip against his. Yuuki stared straight ahead, not letting on that she was also aware of the tall boy pinned to her side, whose warmth and protective arm around her waist made her feel so safe and loved.

They reached the middle of the beach now with only the sound of the waves breaking the silence, and even then, it was utterly and beautifully quiet, a world away from their life at Cross Academy. Their steps slowed down some more then stopped as they looked out at the sea.

Zero shifted Yuuki closer to him, wrapping both arms around her waist and inviting her to lean back against the solid warmth of his chest. Yuuki sighed softly as she did so and they watched the moon's reflection on the waves for a while, breathing in the salty tang in the gentle sea breeze. Zero's hands didn't stray anywhere else - Yuuki loved this about him and she wrapped her own arms over his, perhaps almost… deliberately… pushing his arms up a little until they just about brushed the undersides of her breasts. But he didn't say anything and neither did she.

Finally, Zero bent down to speak softly "Yuuki? Are you cold?"

She shook her head silently but now realised something else – Zero's breathing had started to change, sounding laboured and shallow as if he couldn't quite get enough air. She looked up at him. Even in the dark, Zero's eyes had a warm glow and she could see the faint glint of his fangs between his lips.

They should go back now… but the apartment was small and both Yori and the Chairman were there. "Zero? Do you think here would be safe enough?" Yuuki asked, a small frown appearing between her eyebrows. Zero, having come to the same conclusion as hers, glanced around, his arms tightening around her waist. "It should be" he said cautiously, looking down at her.

"OK…" Yuuki loosened the left side of her shawl and Zero nuzzled his face at the base of her neck. Yuuki's pulse started to speed up, both in anticipation of being bitten as well as the way Zero was kissing her neck.

His right hand released her waist now and slid up through her silky hair, holding her head tilted to the right. Yuuki's left hand slid off his other arm, threading through Zero's silvery hair with similar familiarity. She shivered as Zero's warm tongue traced a line from her collarbone up to her earlobe and down again.

Ahh… Yuuki tasted sweet. Her kisses, her neck, her breasts – all tasted enchantingly sweet, and Zero knew he'd tasted a lot of her by now… more than anyone else had, definitely more than Kuran. He tightened his arm around her waist, pulling her back firmly against him as he bit down gently, senses revelling in the sweet dark liquid that filled his mouth as he sucked at her neck. Yuuki's blood was delicious… intoxicating… a balm he needed to remove the pangs of his bloodlust. But each time he took from her, she was never his prey or food. Never. He was always achingly aware of who she was – Yuuki Cross – his adopted sister and best friend, fellow prefect and the most exasperating, impulsive, klutzy, adorable, generous and loving girl he'd ever known. And he loved with all his heart.

Yuuki's eyes closed for a moment, then opened again. There was something very intimate and daring, being held close like this with the moon shining down on them, the waves lapping at their feet, and having her blood drawn at the same time. And barring a couple of occasions in the past, it never felt like she was coerced into doing so. It just felt so… natural… Zero taking from her like this. Even the intimate way he held her felt natural. _Right_. Like he had a right to hold her like this. Like she had a right to be held by him like this.

Minutes later, Zero lifted his head a little, licking away the traces of blood on Yuuki's creamy skin and pressing his tongue to the twin wounds he'd created. He smiled a little at the small shiver that ran through Yuuki as he did so. "Thank you" he whispered.

Yuuki turned to smile up at him. "You're welcome, Zero" she said softly. Her large brown eyes were soft… loving... and Zero longed to kiss her again. Slowly, he licked his lips clean. Yuuki waited without saying anything but her own lips parted softly and Zero bent forward to claim them. Somehow, he was no longer afraid that his kisses tasted of her blood, knowing that Yuuki would not hold it against him. And she didn't.

The kiss felt right and Yuuki turned slowly within the circle of his arms to face Zero, instinctively sliding her hands up his chest and around his neck. Her lips parted more, allowing Zero entry, her tongue playing shyly with his and making him groan into her mouth. He pressed closer, and Yuuki gasped softly against his lips in turn when she felt his body hard and taut against hers, but she didn't draw away, clinging tightly to him as her legs went weak

The heated kiss broke only when they remembered that they needed to breathe and Yuuki buried her flushed face in Zero's chest, hearing the unsteady beat of his heart against her ear.

"That felt good, Yuuki" said Zero softly, smiling when his words made her shift against him, still refusing to look up. "Why, don't you think so?" he added with mock surprise when she didn't answer.

Yuuki bit her lip, knowing Zero was teasing her again. She ground her hips hard against his in retaliation and burst out laughing when her unexpected action wrung an answering groan from him and a bigger and immediate reaction from his body. Yuuki looked up now, eyes dancing merrily. "That felt good, Zero" she mimicked his words and felt him freeze against her in surprise. "Why, don't you think so?" she added in mock surprise as well, swallowing another giggle with difficulty.

Zero bit back a reluctant chuckle as he shook her slightly. "You little minx" he said, laughter threading through his voice. Yuuki grinned at him, then looked around. There were more people on the beach now, taking walks after their dinner and she sighed reluctantly. "We should go back…"

Zero nodded, linking his fingers with hers as they walked back silently. Despite the heated kiss a couple of minutes ago, there was still a comfortable silence between them and after a few steps, Zero placed his arm around her waist once more, pulling her closer. Yuuki slipped her own arm around his waist and sighed contentedly.

"Well! That was a long walk…" said Yori as soon as Zero and Yuuki stepped into the living room, her wide green eyes alight with mischief. Both Yuuki and Zero scowled at her, which made her grin. The Chairman glanced up at them from his frowning perusal of the chess pieces in front of him but made no comment – Yori had gained the upper hand and the game was keeping his attention.

"I'm going to take a shower" Zero said shortly to nobody in particular as he headed towards the one and only bathroom.

"But you already showered before dinner…" finally remarked the Chairman in surprise.

Zero paused, feeling his face warm slightly as Yori went into an unexpected bout of coughing to mask her sudden laughter. "The seaside air feels sticky" he added after a moment, striding off and resolutely not looking at anyone, not even Yuuki, whose cheeks were still flaming from Yori's earlier remark.

"Um… I'll have one too when you're done, Zero" she muttered, avoiding Yori's gaze as she hurried off to the bedroom she was sharing with Yori to cool down.

Luckily, her Father had turned his attention back to the game in front of him.

-- End --


	38. Chap 17: Holiday Break Part 3

**Author Notes: **Part 3… enjoy!

-- Start --

Yori hummed softly to herself as she brushed her hair, sitting cross legged on her bed. She was waiting for Yuuki to come out from the bathroom so that she could brush her teeth. The blond girl had beaten the Chairman at their chess game a few minutes earlier, and the older man has shaken his head dolefully before taking himself downstairs for a short walk ostensibly to get some fresh air, although Zero said with a smirk what both girls had suspected as well – he actually wanted some time alone to lick his wounds…

Yuuki soon came into the room. She was already in her pyjamas, the ends of her hair damp from her shower, and her cheeks lightly flushed from the unexpected good night kiss Zero had planted on her in the vacant living room just now. "Bathroom's all yours, Yori" she smiled as she started rummaging in her bag for something.

She was already sitting up in bed with her legs tucked under the covers when Yori returned, and the observant blond girl noticed the band aid on Yuuki's neck, a corner sticking out from the sleeping T-shirt she had on. It was probably a good time as any to let her know what she'd told Zero the night before. But first…

"So - did anything interesting happen during your walk with Zero-kun earlier?" Yori asked innocently as she got into her own bed. As expected, Yuuki's cheeks warmed with colour. "Eh… what do you mean?" she muttered, suddenly occupied with plumping up the pillows behind her.

Her friend grinned slyly. "I mean, did Zero-kun try anything funny under the moonlight?" she clarified without batting an eyelid.

"Oh! Uh... of course not!" Yuuki tossed her head rather unconvincingly, her cheeks warming even more.

"He didn't… you know… kiss you?"

"Well, um…he, uh…" That was an answer in itself.

"He didn't… you know… drink your blood?"

"Well, actually - Yori! What do you mean?!" Yuuki's wide eyed gaze and full attention were on her friend now, her hands unconsciously gripping the covers. Oh no, had Yori peeped at them earlier? How could she have known? Did that – did that mean she knew about Zero? Rather belatedly, Yuuki reined in her thoughts and inhaled deeply to calm herself down. "Don't be silly, Zero's not – not Count Dracula…" She trilled out laughter that sounded nervous at best.

Yori rolled her eyes. "It's OK, Yuuki-chan. I know Zero's a vampire and the Night Class are all vampires as well… high class ones apparently"

Yuuki's jaw dropped. "You know…" she whispered, eyes still huge, her fingers clutching at the covers. "How did you know? How long have you known?" she asked, still in a whisper.

Yori blinked – Yuuki's questions were surprisingly similar to Zero's the night before. She explained briefly to Yuuki how she'd found out, using almost the same words as in her conversation with him.

"Yori-chan… Father knows, but please don't tell anyone else, please?" begged Yuuki, her large eyes fearful. She didn't know what would happen if word got out about Zero – it was bad enough with the Night Class knowing what he was… but if the Day Class knew as well… it would make the future precarious for Zero, and there was no telling what would happen to Cross Academy as well.

Yori smiled rather enigmatically. "I've known this for some time Yuuki-chan, and I haven't told anyone, so don't worry"

Yuuki relaxed. "I guess we'd better let Father know that you know" she murmured. Yori shrugged and added "I also told Zero-kun I know about him, last night."

Yuuki blinked at her. Then something clicked in her mind – "Is that why you didn't want me to follow when he took you back to the Sun Dorm last night?" At her friend's solemn nod, Yuuki asked "But why? I already know what he is…"

Yori smiled again. "I wanted to see his reaction" she admitted. "you know, to find out if he was forcing or … threatening… you in any way." That made a smile tremble on Yuuki's lips. "Thanks" she said softly, touched by her friend's concern. "But Zero would never do that, you know... I give him my blood most willingly" she murmured, flushing again.

Her friend nodded once more. "I know, and I also know that he's in love with you"

Yuuki laughed a little as she hugged her knees, looking unseeingly at the covers. "I know" she said in turn. "And I wish I – I knew -" she broke off, not knowing how to continue.

"… who you love more - Kaname-sempai or Zero-kun" finished Yori smoothly. At Yuuki's startled glance, she shrugged. "Well, isn't it true?"

Yuuki smiled. "It looks like I'm an open book to you, Yori-chan" she said affectionately, before impulsively sliding from her bed. She gave her friend a quick hug before climbing back into her own bed and hesitated before looking at her again.

"You – you're not scared of Zero… and Kaname-sempai… and the Night Class?" It could be a frightening prospect if you thought about it, one of the School Prefects as well as the entire Night Class being vampires… but Yori only shook her head decisively. "It's not like I just found out about Zero… and the Night Class students seem pretty well-behaved" she said in a deliberately off handed manner.

Yuuki nodded then explained about the blood tablets that the Night Class students took to control their bloodlust, and how Zero was allergic to them. Finally, both girls fell silent and Yori switched off the table lamp on the nightstand between them, plunging the room into near darkness.

"You're lucky, Yuuki-chan, both of them already love you very much" came Yori's soft voice after a while. Yuuki, unintentionally thinking about the kiss she'd shared with Zero down on the beach, started a little. There was a wistful note in the other girl's voice, and Yuuki rose up onto her elbow, curious. Did it mean…

"Yori-chan? There's someone you like too, isn't there?" she asked softly.

There was a moment of silence before a soft "Yes" sounded from the other bed, and Yuuki's breath caught. Yori was entirely too good at keeping secrets; no wonder she'd never suspected it…

"Well, who is it?" Yuuki demanded now, curious.

Yori sighed, her eyes on the curtains billowing softly in the breeze coming in from the slightly opened windows. "It doesn't matter… he doesn't even know I'm alive"

Yuuki may not be the best student in the Day Class but she caught onto Yori's accidental revelation almost immediately. "Everyone in the Day Class knows who you are, Yori-chan… why - why that means it's one of the Night Class students?" she demanded.

The lamp was switched on again and Yori saw Yuuki sitting up in bed, her outstretched hand still on the lamp switch, staring at her. The blond girl's silence was answer enough and Yuuki looked stunned. "But – but you don't like any of them, Yori-chan, you're always saying how they're so full of themselves…"

Yori smiled quietly but didn't say anything. Yuuki continued to stare at her, her mind ticking furiously. "You _hate _all of them, and you always diss Aido-sempai the most –" Yuuki broke off suddenly as her friend's gaze fell and she bit her lip.

"Hanabusa Aido? Idol-sempai?" asked Yuuki, looking almost... aghast. "But – but you said he was such a playboy, amongst other things…" her brow furrowed now as she tried to remember the several unflattering descriptions Yori had pinned on the tousle haired vampire noble the day before the recent school dance, when Yuuki had mentioned he would be attending as well.

Yori's smile was wistful. "I didn't want anyone to know" she confessed reluctantly.

A scene of the same dance now flashed into Yuuki's mind. Aido-sempai had danced with her, his manners faultless under the watchful eyes of Kaname-sempai standing nearby. As the young noble twirled her around, Yuuki recalled catching a glimpse of Yori looking back at them, and she'd mischievously suggested to Aido that he ask Yori to dance with him next, secretly anticipating the look on the playboy vampire's face when her friend turned him down flat. Only she hadn't, and Yuuki's eyes had widened in surprise as she looked around the hall for Zero after that, and saw Aido leading Yori onto the floor.

Yori gave a studiedly careless shrug. "He doesn't know I'm alive" she said quietly.

Yuuki shook her head. "He does, you danced with him the last time, didn't you?"

Yori nodded. "Well, he's forgotten all about that by now" she said before sighing. "Let's get to sleep, we have a full day ahead of us tomorrow…" She reached over and switched off the light with a decisive motion, indicating that she didn't want to continue the conversation anymore.

"OK, good night Yori-chan" Yuuki settled back onto the pillows, her thoughts in a whirl.

"Good night… you won't tell Zero-kun? About Aido?" came Yori's soft voice after a moment.

"Of course I won't, don't worry" Yuuki reassured her friend, inwardly wincing as she imagined the look on Zero's face if he knew about Yori's crush on Aido.

- o -

The next morning, all four of them woke up early and after good naturedly vying for the use of the one and only bathroom, had a quick breakfast before preparing sandwiches and drinks for a picnic lunch down by the beach later. Having bounced back from last night's defeat, and helped by the fact that Yori had agreed to a rematch when they returned to school, the Chairman now produced a chocolate cake he'd stashed away with the air of a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat. He drank in the girls' delighted squeals and ignored Zero's expected lack of enthusiasm for the treat. The silver haired prefect didn't plan on staying out in the sun at all and he pushed his sunglasses along with a book he was in the midst of reading into Yuuki's colourful beach bag that she'd left on the table.

Both Yuuki and Yori were dressed in colourful beach wraps, declaring that they would only reveal their brand new swimsuits down at the beach. That remark made Zero's eyes linger on Yuuki's slender figure for a long moment.

It was going to be a lovely day and the sun was already up by the time they left their apartment. Zero strode quickly to a large shady tree where the grass gave way to sand, and dropped the picnic basket beside its trunk, remembering the romantic walk he'd taken with Yuuki last night… He dusted sand off a large and comfortably shaped tree root before settling down on it.

Yuuki rooted around in her beach bag and handed him a tube of sun block lotion. "Here, Zero, you'd better apply this on yourself, even if you don't intend to go out under the sun"

Zero nodded and reached for it but halfway, he pulled back his hand. "Actually, I'll need someone to do my back…" he said softly, fixing her with a look she was getting to be very familiar with. Yuuki hid her smile but nodded, hoping that their Father who was busy looking for the most comfortable spot nearby hadn't heard Zero.

But the older man looked up now. "Oh no problem, Zero, I can do your back for you, if you'll do mine" he chirped helpfully. Yuuki smothered her giggles at the look on Zero's face. "It's OK, Father, I'll do both your backs" she told the Chairman cheerfully.

Zero's grimace smoothed out in relief. "Me first" he murmured softly to Yuuki. But she ended up attending to the Chairman first, which in retrospect, was a much better idea because right after that, the older man spread a towel on the sand a few metres away and lay down on it, giving both of them more privacy and time.

Yori was about to ask Yuuki to do the same for her but the look her friend exchanged with the silver haired prefect made her pause. Discreetly, she decided to go for a walk as Zero removed his T-shirt and Yuuki squeezed a generous amount of the white creamy liquid onto her palm, a small smile on her lips.

Standing behind Zero, Yuuki started smoothing the lotion over his broad shoulders and back, delighting in the feel of his warm smooth skin under her fingertips. The strands of longish silver hair that grew past the back of his neck were soft on her fingers, and Yuuki's touch gentled automatically, turning almost… sensual… as she let both hands glide over his shoulders, back and arms, the smell of the lotion mixing with the scent of Zero's soap and shampoo. She didn't recall ever touching the bare skin of his back before… Almost unconsciously, her fingertips started lightly probing the muscles she could feel under his skin.

Zero could hear Yuuki's breathing grow a little quicker from her exertions, although he liked to think that it was also due to… other things. His own breathing had definitely quickened. The smell of the lotion was strong, almost masking Yuuki's sweet scent… but Zero was never more aware of her then, with her soft breathing behind him, and her gentle fingers dancing over his skin while the sea breeze ruffled their hair. Neither one of them spoke a word, unwilling and perhaps a little shy of breaking the soft silence.

At length, after Yuuki had applied a layer of lotion over every exposed inch of his back, she paused. Zero still didn't move, his head bent forward slightly, so she went over to kneel in front of him. That made him look up, startled. Yuuki's smile was tentative but the impish look in her large brown eyes was not. "Think you can manage your front?" she asked softly and Zero's lips quirked as he caught hold one small hand and brought it to his lips. He was crazy if he was going to turn down a perfectly legitimate reason to have Yuuki touch him like this…

"Actually, no, I don't think I can" he said just as softly. Yuuki smile turned into a laugh. She took her hand back before obligingly squeezing another generous amount of the lotion onto her palm. Zero darted a quick look at the Chairman, a few metres away, thankfully with his head facing the other way and a beach hat over it to block out the sun's rays.

Yuuki hesitated for a delicious moment, her cheeks lightly flushed at the meaningful look Zero was giving her now. Then she moved closer, still on her knees. Zero held his breath as Yuuki's lotion coated fingers slid slowly over his shoulders before gliding over his chest, her touch light, gentle... but unintentionally and completely arousing. Zero strove to control his breathing, his eyes fixed on her small white teeth as it caught at her lower lip.

Yuuki's fingers brushed tentatively over one of Zero's nipples and he smothered a groan as it puckered up. She glanced up shyly and Zero stopped breathing. Yuuki's gaze fell back to his chest. Looking as innocent as she could, she let her fingertips wander over to brush his other nipple, making it harden as well. At her soft giggle, Zero's long fingers closed over her hand, yanking it off his chest. "Yuuki…" he said warningly – he was starting to perspire and it wasn't due to the heat of the morning sun.

Yuuki pouted. "Hey, you've touched mine before, and more" she reminded him and Zero's eyes widened in shock. "Hush!" he hissed at her, shooting a quick glance at the Chairman. Yuuki clapped a sticky hand over her mouth, her blush deepening as she realised what she'd just said. She didn't think her wildest imagination could do justice to their Father's reaction if he'd heard her words.

Zero started breathing again as the older man didn't move. He sighed in relief before shaking his head ruefully at Yuuki who grinned repentantly at him, equally relieved. Somewhat hurriedly now, she finished slathering the rest of the lotion on her palms over Zero's taut stomach, resisting the urge to trace the clearly defined lines she could see. She also resisted in looking anywhere below his navel. Quickly, she capped back the tube and stood up, brushing sand from her knees.

Zero was disappointed but searched for his sunglasses and slipped them on as Yori started walking back towards them. Without a word, both girls stripped off their wraps, Yuuki deliberately turning away from Zero as she and Yori applied lotion onto their exposed skin as well as each other's backs, but she could still feel the heat of his admiring gaze all over her body as he took in the charming swimsuit she had on – a maroon and black number with a halter neck style top. Yori's was similar but with green trimming that exactly matched her large eyes.

Both girls then went for a dip in the sea and Zero watched them as they swam and played in the waves, flinging water at each other and shrieking happily. It was a good thing they were quite far away, otherwise their squeals would've deafened him…

Zero whiled away the time dividing his attention between the book he'd brought and the girls playing in the water. When the sun grew too hot, both girls came back, playfully flinging droplets of seawater over Zero as he dug into the basket and started arranging the food and drinks they'd brought on a large mat on the sand. Both Yuuki and Yori squeezed sea water out of their hair before donning back their cotton wraps over their wet swimsuits. The Chairman moved back to the shade and they started eating. All the food and drinks they'd brought with them were consumed in twenty minutes flat.

The hot afternoon sun was soon hidden behind fluffy white clouds and feeling rather sleepy, Yuuki suggested they take a walk.

About a hundred metres away, the grassy slope lead up to a small secondary jungle on the other side of the apartment high rise. There was a small trail on the ground leading up the hill, made by previous trackers. "Hey, this looks interesting! Let's see where this trail leads up to…" The Chairman turned to the others, his eyes lighting up with familiar excitement. Yuuki agreed at once and started pulling along a disinterested Yori as the Chairman started up the path. Zero rolled his eyes but followed from behind.

The four of them walked up the hill for another twenty minutes, their steps slowing down as the slope got steeper and the trees grew denser – all had started perspiring by now. The trail curved to the left, as the right side of the hill dropped steeply into a deep ravine. There was a safety handrail along its edge, made from planks of wood and rope but it didn't look very secure. Yuuki averted her eyes from the dark ravine but the others peered down, the Chairman estimating it was at least fifteen metres deep. They walked up the hill for another ten minutes, their steps slowing even more as the slope got steeper and the light between the branches grew sparser.

Yori looked up, squinting past the branches overhead to check out the sky. "I think it's time we turn back, it looks like it might rain soon" she said diplomatically, if rather breathlessly, swiping at a drop of perspiration as it trickled down her neck. The fluffy white clouds had started to turn ominously dark.

Zero nodded, stopping at once - he'd been lost in his thoughts and berated himself now for not saying the same thing earlier. It was very quiet on this hill apart from the ubiquitious sound of insects that you'd find in a jungle anywhere. Apparently, they were the only ones from the apartments adventurous or foolish enough to venture here. He gave the Chairman a silently exasperated look. Even Yuuki had lost a significant amount of the her initial excitement, looking rather tired now. The Chairman glanced at them then sighed. "All right" he agreed.

The three of them turned around and started walking back down the trail. The sun was completely hidden now and the wind started to pick up, rustling the branches overhead. Barely five minutes later, it started to rain. Large drops pattered the leaves overhead and minutes later, the rain became a steady downpour. The earth trail under their feet turned treacherously slick and small trails of muddy water now started flowing down the ground on either side. Even under the relatively thick cover of the tree branches over the trail, all four of them were soon soaked to the skin.

The Chairman was in front, with Yuuki, then Yori behind him and Zero bringing up the rear. Just great, thought Zero sourly. Just what Yuuki needed to bring on a fever. Perhaps it was better if they sought shelter and waited out the storm...

"Hey, wait up..." he called out to the others, only to break off as Yuuki's beach slippers slid on a particularly muddy patch on the ground. She shrieked as she fell down hard on her rear and crashed into the Chairman in front, sending both of them sliding down the slippery trail. It was very steep at this part – if they couldn't stop in time, there was a possibility they would shoot right off the trail and into the ravine they'd passed earlier…

_Hell._

"Stay here" gasped Zero to Yori as he dashed past her, his eyes on the other two. He threw himself forward, landing hard on both his elbows and just managed to grab hold of the back of Yuuki's wrap, pulling it askew but the fingers of his other hand couldn't find any purchase on the slippery ground as he fell, bumping into both of them and sending all three sliding down the slope even faster. Her heart in her throat, Yuuki's arms instinctively went around Zero's waist, her face buried in his chest, as her Father clung onto her legs. Zero's eyes scanned wildly around him for something to stop their reckless slide. About ten metres ahead, he spied a sturdy very low hanging branch on one side of the trail, that looked like it would just about bear their weight.

"Hold on tight!" he shouted as they slid closer to the branch. Zero reached up and grabbed hold of the branch tightly with his free hand, splinters digging into his palm. The branch managed to check their momentum and they jerked to a stop but not before Zero's shoulder dislocated with a horribly painful wrench under the strain, making him cry out sharply. All three of them ended up sprawled on one side of the trail, where there was a small bit of level ground. They were all covered in dirt and mud.

After a moment, Zero opened his eyes and found himself staring up at the rain darkened sky in between gaps from the branches and leaves overhead, raindrops falling onto his face. Gingerly, he pushed himself up onto his uninjured elbow. His other arm was on fire from his shoulder all the way down to his fingertips. He gritted his teeth, remembering how he had wrenched it earlier.

Yuuki and the Chairman were also lying sprawled on the ground a few feet away, Yuuki's head pillowed on her Father's middle, both their eyes closed. _Shit… shit… shit! _His heart hammering in his chest, Zero crawled forward and his trembling fingers felt for a pulse at Yuuki's throat, barely noticing the band aid there, his eyes on her pale face. He couldn't feel anything at first and his thudding heart leapt into his throat - what if… what if… Then he felt it – Yuuki's pulse was still very rapid but unsteady. Zero exhaled shakily, his eyes closing in heady relief before he reached over to the Chairman. It looked like the older man had struck his head hard on a protruding rock on the ground, because dark blood was seeping through the gray hair now. The Chairman's pulse was also rapid but unsteady. Zero drew his fingers through the matted hair and started probing the skin very gently to assess the damage. He didn't know much about concussions or permanent damage but there was very definitely a swelling there…

After a moment, he realised he could also smell Yuuki's blood as well as his Father's. Now that the immediate danger was over, the scent of blood started to tease Zero's senses and he tensed, trying to ignore the invisible bands that started to tighten around his chest. _Not now… _

Turning back to Yuuki, he checked her body for injuries, all his movements one handed. There was a nasty cut on one leg where it had caught on a sharp branch and was bleeding freely, there was a smaller cut on her forehead above one eyebrow but other than some scratches on her face, arms and thighs where the wrap had fallen open, she seemed otherwise uninjured.

Yuuki opened her eyes, feeling Zero's fingers probing her knee. Her gaze dazedly focused on the same view of overhanging branches and falling raindrops. Then she sat up slowly, her eyes huge as she saw the Chairman beside her with his eyes closed. "Unh… Zero? Are – are you all right? Is Father all right?"

"I'm fine, Yuuki" lied Zero, ignoring his injured shoulder and his bloodlust. "Father's hit his head, I think…" Yuuki's eyes took in the blood seeping through the older man's hair and she bit her lip. He had scratches on his faces and arms as well as splotches of mud – she supposed she looked pretty much the same. "Are you OK?" Zero asked her quietly.

Yuuki nodded, her eyes still huge and dark from the recent fright… if Zero hadn't stopped their fall, they could have gone careening right off the cliff and into the ravine… It was a sobering thought and she repressed a shiver with difficulty. "A few bruises, but I'll live" she smiled a little shakily.

Guilt lanced sharply through Zero – it was his fault, he hadn't managed to stop them in time and because of that, both their Father and Yuuki were now injured.

As for Yuuki, reaction suddenly set in – she couldn't stop picturing what would've happened if Zero hadn't been there to break their fall… and she started shaking, feeling hot tears prick at the backs of her eyes. Zero moved closer, placing his uninjured arm around her shoulders, feeling his fangs starting to press against his lower lip as more blood flowed from her knee.

"I'm sorry" whispered Yuuki. "We should have turned back earlier. I shouldn't have slipped…"

"Hush, not your fault" murmured Zero, rocking her silently and trying not to picture what would have happened if he'd been too late. Kuran would have a wonderful opportunity to make good his threat then… After a minute, he patted her shoulder and removed his arm. "I have to wrap up that knee, Yuuki… and find something for Father as well..." Zero decided not to mention that he had no idea how to get an injured Chairman down the slope with only one working arm, and his body reacting to the scent of their blood. He swore silently to himself, wondering how things had slid downhill so fast, both literally and figuratively. In less than five minutes, he had three injured persons on his hands, himself included.

A rustling noise sounded and Yori appeared, having come down the slope slowly and carefully, hanging onto nearby branches to keep her balance. She was as wet as them but a whole lot cleaner. Yori dropped onto her knees beside Yuuki now, one hand on the auburn girl's shoulder. "Yuuki-chan! Are you all right?" she asked, her green eyes wide. Yuuki smiled a little tearfully. "I'm fine, Yori-chan…"

"Oh, your knee is bleeding!" exclaimed Yori as she finally noticed the blood running down Yuuki's leg. She took out a handkerchief from the pocket of her wrap and started wrapping up the bleeding knee, her movements quick and skilled. At their astonished look, she shrugged. "One of my brothers is a doctor, you know, and I've helped out at his practice before…" she explained briefly. Tying the ends together neatly, she glanced up at Zero's face, looked back at Yuuki, then swung towards Zero again, her green eyes wider than before. She'd never seen Zero as a… well, as a vampire before…

Yuuki saw her look and glanced at Zero as well. Her heart sank. Of course, her knee was bleeding, their Father was bleeding too… Zero saw both their looks and turned away. "The Chairman is injured as well" he said quietly to Yori, who crawled over to look at the Chairman. She made a quick examination of his head and announced that he needed medical attention and soon.

Zero nodded and stood up, gasping in pain as he unintentionally moved his injured arm. "Zero? What's wrong?" asked Yuuki in alarm as Zero's face became even paler, sweat breaking out on his forehead as he screwed up his eyes tightly.

"His arm's hurt" said Yori softly. Her eyes had seen the way Zero's injured arm hung loosely by his side. She pointed out which arm it was to Yuuki but seemed reluctant to get any closer to him. Without speaking, Yuuki started rolling up his shirtsleeve gently, biting her lip as she took in sight of his dislocated arm and the bruised skin surrounding it. Zero cursed under his breath, it looked a lot worse than he had expected.

"Dislocated my shoulder" he said through gritted teeth. Yori was looking at it as well. "I think I know how to set this - I've done it before… but it will take some time to heal, and you won't be able to carry the Chairman like this, Zero-kun" Her voice was quite steady as she looked at now but her eyes were worried… and a little fearful. It was one thing to _know_ that Zero Kiriyu was a vampire, it was another thing to actually see red eyes looking back at her and elongated fangs between his lips…

"OK. Do it" he said tensely then sat down on the ground, looking away. Yori hesitated, then stepped forward. She knelt down beside him and held his arm at the wrist, then looked at Yuuki. "Hold his shoulder firmly, please, Yuuki-chan" she said softly. Yuuki gave a quick squeeze to Zero's other shoulder before doing as Yori requested and giving her a nod. Yori looked at Zero next, her green eyes steady as she asked "Ready?"

Zero held his breath and nodded tersely. A second later, Yori pulled hard, popping the arm joint back into position. Zero's fangs dug into his lower lip to keep from crying out but hot tears welled up and slipped down his cheeks at the searing pain. Yuuki made a soft sound of distress, letting go of his shoulder at once and wrapping both arms around holding Zero, holding him close, not realising Yori had gotten up and moved aside.

After a while, Yuuki's gentle fingers tipped Zero's face up. "You need blood to heal properly…" she said softly. He nodded reluctantly, then started, giving Yori a quick glance, before looking back at Yuuki. Both girls smiled a little at his surprise. "Yori-chan told me last night" said Yuuki softly, giving a quick smile at her friend before turning back to Zero. She tucked her hair behind her ears and untied her belt.

Zero couldn't deny that it was a good thing the three of them were now up to speed on what he was, but he shook his head at her. "You're injured too, Yuuki" he said flatly. "And I already took from… you – erm… last – last night" his words grew softer and trailed off at the end, not daring to look at Yori now.

Yuuki ignored Yori's raised eyebrow at this confirmation as she tossed her head. "So? I still have plenty to spare…"

Zero shook his head doggedly at her. "Your knee is still bleeding, Yuuki…" He could see Yori's handkerchief slowly getting soaked, and his fangs grew out even more. He clenched his fists, his breathing sounding more and more laboured.

"I'm fine, Zero, really" insisted Yuuki, her lips pressed tightly together.

"No" Zero returned shortly, pursing his own lips.

They glared at each other.

Then Yuuki's gaze softened. "Please, Zero…" she said, her voice gentler. Zero's eyes closed for a moment. "Yuuki… I – I can't" he said. _You already gave to me yesterday, and you're hurt… if I took more from you now, what kind of monster would that make me?_

They stared at each other again, no longer angrily but still unwilling to back down.

The rather poignant silence was finally broken by a long suffering sigh.

"There's always me, you know…" said Yori.

-- End --

_**A/N:** I am taking some liberties here about Yori's family members since there's so little information about her in the manga, hope it's OK!_


	39. Chap 17: Holiday Break Part 4

**Author Notes: **Part 4, and the final part of this chapter. It's a long one too, so enjoy!

-- Start --

Both Zero and Yuuki swung towards Yori. Her eyes were amused as she looked back at the bickering duo.

"What?" whispered Zero and Yuuki in unison, their eyes wide with shock.

"Yes. Me" said Yori firmly.

Zero looked like he still doubted his own ears but Yuuki frowned. "But – but you…" she trailed off uncertainly. For some reason, she didn't want Yori to volunteer.

"Why not, Yuuki-chan? You're hurt and you've already given Zero blood yesterday. He needs blood now and I'm both uninjured and available" Yori's voice was reasonable and her words entirely logical.

"But I'm fine, Yori-chan, really" said Yuuki. To prove her point, she jumped to her feet only to cry out in pain as her injured knee protested. Stubbornly, she gritted her teeth as she shifted her weight to the other leg but soon had to clutch at Yori, who had also stood up, to keep her balance.

"Really?" Zero lifted one eyebrow as he looked up at her grimly from where he was still sitting on the ground.

Yuuki scowled. "You're not drinking from my knee anyway…" she muttered, knowing there was no way Zero would take her blood now. They all sighed.

"Here, sit down before you fall down…" urged Yori. Yuuki sank back onto the ground, her expression still mutinous.

Zero looked at Yori, who returned his look steadily. She didn't look frightened now… and it really _was _the logical thing to do - as far as he could see. And most importantly of all, she'd volunteered herself… he hadn't asked or forced her to.

Wow, it was amazing when you thought about it - Zero didn't think he'd ever have _three _willing donors to count on including his adopted Father. And speaking of which, they had to get started soon, the older man needed medical attention, they couldn't really afford to waste time like this…

Zero nodded slowly at Yori, his crimson hued eyes warming with reluctant respect. Both of them then turned to look at Yuuki, who was biting her lip at Zero's nod. Her heart suddenly constricted with a sharp and inexplicable ache.

"Yuuki…" Zero's gaze was troubled now. _Do you mind me drinking from Yori, Yuuki? Because even though there's nothing between her and me, for some reason, I – I feel like I'm… betraying… you…_

But he couldn't say the words out loud, because they sounded so – so - well, it wasn't as if he was going to _kiss _Yori, or _seduce _her, for goodness' sake, he was just going to drink her blood, which he badly needed. And he knew nothing else would arise from that. But no matter what, he still wanted Yuuki to understand and to agree to it.

Yuuki saw the uncertainty and reluctance in Zero's eyes now and somehow, that eased the funny ache in her chest. She took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes… if you don't mind, Yori-chan" she said, forcing a smile.

"I don't, otherwise I wouldn't have volunteered" affirmed her friend with her usual forthrightness.

"Well… OK then" said Zero. His tone was still cautious and wary as he looked at Yuuki again.

The rain had slowed down to a drizzle by now. Yori sank down onto her knees beside Yuuki and looked from one to the other. Both Zero and Yuuki were still staring at each other and after a moment, Yori broke the silence. "So… er, how does this work?" she asked.

Zero's gaze slid back to hers. "Well, for starters, you need to come a little closer…" he said as he pulled in his long legs and sat cross legged on the wet grass, resting his hands on his thighs.

"Oh…" Yori moved closer to him on her knees. She was still a good two feet away and Zero's lips twitched despite himself. "Closer, Yori… I'm not a giraffe, you know"

That tugged a reluctant smile from Yori. She moved closer to Zero until her knees were an inch away from his. She really was much shorter than him however, and in his current position, Zero knew he would end up with a backache bending forward like that by the time he finished, assuming he didn't lose his balance and topple on top of her while drinking her blood…

He bent forward to pull her closer and Yori jerked back a little out of reflex, her wide eyes locked onto his fangs, and his ragged breathing loud in her ears. Zero froze - at this very moment, the blond girl resembled a scared green eyed rabbit that looked like it was going to bolt at any second - it wasn't a very reassuring thought to him.

"Yori - you're scared, aren't you?" he asked quietly.

"No! No, course not" denied Yori, much too quickly.

Zero sighed. "I'm not going to eat you, you know…" He glanced at Yuuki who was still silent and wide eyed.

This was getting ridiculous – Zero exhaled and shook his head. Reaching out, he grasped Yori's upper arms and hauled her right up onto his lap. This was better - it would be more comfortable for them both, and he wouldn't have that nagging feeling like Yori was going to run away from him… It was also how Zero would hold Yuuki if they both were sitting down, but both girls gasped in surprise at Zero's sudden action - Yori's hands ended up flat against his chest in a defensive gesture, her eyes wider than before. Yuuki's equally large brown eyes were filled with what looked like bewildered hurt.

Zero closed his eyes but his heightened senses took in Yori's agitated manner, her slight and quick breathing, her fingers clenching on his T-shirt, her slender body trembling slightly, her blood coursing through her veins… and his jaw ached. He needed blood. Now.

Opening his eyes, he let his hands slide to the neck of Yori's colourful wrap, hooking a thumb in each lapel as he sought to bare her throat. Yori made a soft sound, almost of distress, and Zero stopped at once. Both girls were now looking at him as if he was going to ravish the girl on his lap at any second and Zero's hands fell away as he cursed under his breath.

"What now?" he demanded quietly, feeling heat creep up his cheeks despite himself. He _hadn't _asked for any of this to happen, Yori _had _volunteered herself, and Yuuki _had _agreed… and Yori _was _wearing her swimsuit under her wrap…

Looking at him now, Yuuki's gaze softened suddenly with understanding. She knew Zero was just as uncomfortable about it as she was, and it wasn't his fault they were now in this awkward situation. And Father needed help…

Forgetting her own mixed up feelings, Yuuki moved closer to kneel beside her friend, squeezing her shoulder reassuringly. She could feel her friend was trembling slightly. Yori was fully aware of the choice she had made… but she hadn't been bitten by a vampire before and her wide eyes were arrested by the sight of Zero's crimson irises and the pointed fangs between his lips. His face was pale, he was perspiring and his breathing seemed overly loud and unsteady.

To Yori, Zero-kun was at this moment, not… quite… human.

Yuuki saw the fear in Yori's eyes. Was this how she'd looked at Zero the first time he'd caught her from behind and bitten her? No… she'd been totally shocked then – after all, she hadn't known what he was - so it had to have been ten times worse at least. No wonder Zero had been consumed with guilt and self-disgust then, no wonder he was always haunted by the thought that she feared him, and that it hurt…

Yuuki spoke quietly. "Yori-chan, this is Zero Kiriyu. You can trust him, like I trust him. And it will only sting a very, very little bit - I promise…" Yuuki's trembling voice almost gave out and she had to swallow hard before she could continue. "Zero is very… gentle… trust me" Sudden tears blurred her vision but she blinked them away, smiling at her friend.

Both of them were staring at her now - Zero looking vulnerable and touched, Yori looking surprised - yes, Yuuki would know, wouldn't she, because she'd given her blood to Zero and so many times too… besides, she was right here as well… Yori took a deep breath and relaxed. "I know, Yuuki-chan" she murmured before turning back to Zero. "I trust you, Zero-kun".

Zero's gaze had lingered on Yuuki's smile but he looked at Yori now and gave a little nod as well. "Well, uhm… you'd better - you know…" he nodded at her neck now and Yori reached up a hand to pull one side of her wrap away from her neck.

Zero's gaze was immediately drawn to the exposed curve of Yori's slender neck - he could see her quick pulse beating at the base of her throat, and it tempted him. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he reached forward, then hesitated before wrenching his gaze away to look at Yuuki. "Yuuki, please don't look" he murmured, his eyes troubled.

Yuuki hesitated. To be honest, a part of her wanted to see Zero drinking from Yori's neck, even though she trusted him, even though she knew they had nothing going on between them… and a part of her didn't. She didn't know which was the stronger part but she did realise it would only make Zero more uncomfortable if she witnessed it. So she forced another smile, scooted backwards a few feet and sat with her knees drawn up and her face turned resolutely away, her chin resting on her folded arms, on top of the uninjured knee.

There was a whispered "Relax…" from Zero, then complete silence, other than the soft patter of the still falling rain.

Yuuki squeezed her eyes shut as she struggled with herself. But even though she knew Zero didn't want her to witness this, she just had to look. She only meant to take a very quick peek, just a glance really… But the glance turned into a look. And the look turned into a stare. A very long stare.

Zero's face was nestled in the curve of Yori's slender neck, his mouth buried at the base of her throat. Yuuki couldn't see his face but she knew he was sucking Yori's blood and drinking it because she could see his throat working as he swallowed. Both his hands were still grasping her friend's slender shoulders, and for some reason, this made Yuuki almost… glad. Glad that his hands weren't tangled up in Yori's soft blond curls… glad that his arms weren't wrapped around Yori's waist…

Yori's head was flung back, her eyes closed and her lips slightly parted. Her hands were twisted up in the front of Zero's T-shirt, trembling fingers clenching and unclenching almost unconsciously on the soft material. And somehow, the sight of that made the funny ache in Yuuki's chest start up again. And suddenly, she knew.

She didn't want Zero to drink any other girl's blood except her own.

She didn't want Zero to hold any other girl in his arms except herself.

She was… jealous… of all things And of Yori, of all people. Yuuki swung away, her eyes wide with shock, her breath coming quickly as she sat there and stared unseeingly at the trees in front of her, stunned. She'd never been jealous before… but then again, Zero had never so much as looked at another girl before.

Yori's eyes were closed but she could feel Zero's hands heavy on her shoulders as well as the softness of his T-shirt under her fingers. She could also feel the ragged puffs of his breath against her neck. And after the initial brief pain as his fangs sank into her skin, the strange weakness flooding through her as her blood was drawn into his mouth, his warm lips and tongue unintentionally caressing her skin. How… strange… was this what Yuuki felt each time? Was this what she would feel if Aido… Yori stopped that thought almost before it had started. It wasn't the first time she'd thought of it though…

Zero was feeling much better now – the fresh blood had eased the tightness in his chest and the dull throbbing ache in his shoulder and arm faded almost completely away. His senses were again aware of his surroundings…

Zero stopped drinking and automatically licked at the drops of blood still welling up from the wounds he's made, causing Yori to shiver in reaction, her fingers tangling even tighter in his T-shirt. Zero was aware of Yori's speeded up pulse the whole time, it was hard not to, seeing as how it made her blood almost spurt into his mouth, and how close she was sitting on his lap.

Despite his gentle bite and Yuuki's reassurances, and the fact that she'd not been alone, Yori _had _been scared. And Zero didn't blame her for it. He pressed his tongue to the wounds he made to stop the bleeding, and Yori shivered, her eyes fluttering open dazedly at the feel of the warm tongue on her neck. That shiver made Zero pause, uncertain. This was a really strange situation… Normally, he would have hugged or kissed Yuuki after this, while thanking her. It was always so… natural, so right, he no longer even needed to think about it. But he had no wish to do the same thing to Yori, nor did he think it a good idea to do so.

His mind was automatically registering and totalling up the differences between Yuuki and Yori. He already knew that both of them were petite, and both their bodies were soft and pliant. He already knew that they both smelled sweet, although not exactly the same. And now he knew both their blood were sweet as well. But again, only one of their scents had the power to make his senses reel. Only one of their blood could really satisfy him both physically and mentally. Only one of them could make his body tighten with desire. And only one of them had to power to bring him to his knees - Yuuki.

Zero raised his head, looking down at Yori as he wiped the back of one hand over his lips. "Yori – are you OK?" he asked, his voice still husky from gulping down her warm blood. Yori's startled eyes saw that Zero's eye colour was back to normal and his fangs had receded. He looked much better than he did a few minutes earlier…

"Uh, yeah, no problem, I'm fine, Zero-kun" she reassured.

Zero nodded then hesitated. Yuuki had always reassured him of this before, and he'd been as gentle as he could, but… "Did I hurt you?" he asked quietly, not wanting Yuuki to hear.

Yori looked surprised at this. "No, of course not…" she said, belated releasing his crumpled T-shirt, her fingers going up to probe the twin wounds at her neck.

"The bleeding's stopped. Don't – don't touch it…" said Zero, and Yori's fingers fell away. She seemed a little uncertain of what to say now, which was a rare sight in itself. Zero gave her shoulders a brief squeeze. "Thank you" he whispered, his lips tilting in a small, crooked but genuine smile. Yori smiled back, relieved.

Yuuki was looking at them when she heard their voices and Zero's smile made the same ache start up in her chest – quickly, she turned away again. Yuuki couldn't believe it, she was even jealous of a smile Zero directed at her friend?! She must be going mad…

Both Zero and Yori now glanced over to Yuuki who was sitting there, looking off into the distance as if frozen. Zero's other hand slipped off Yori's arm. He cleared his throat. "Yuuki?" he called softly. Yuuki turned to face him and there was a strange look in the large brown eyes that made Zero's heart beat just a little faster, just before she forced another smile to her lips. "Well… uh, you guys done already?" Then she moved closer to Yori. "Yori-chan, are you all right? Zero didn't take too much?"

Yori shook her head and smiled at her. "No, he didn't, and I'm fine, Yuuki-chan"

Yuuki smiled back a little uncertainly then turned to Zero, her gaze suddenly haunted. "Zero?" she asked softly.

He was looking at her very intently. "I'm fine, Yuuki, thanks to Yori here… " _As long as you don't hate me for it…_

Their gazes held. And held. And held some more. There was a million things waiting to be said. Only neither of them took the first step.

Finally, Yori cleared her throat. "Well then, shall we go? It's stopped raining, and the Chairman's still out cold…" She deliberately made her voice sound matter of fact as she stood up. Yuuki's eyes found and stayed on Zero's bite marks on Yori's neck before the blond girl pulled her wrap tightly around herself to hide them from view.

Zero wanted very badly to have some time alone with Yuuki now, and he could tell she wanted the same. But at Yori's words, he nodded quickly. "Yeah, let's go…" His arm now ached only very slightly, he should have no problems carrying the Chairman back to the apartment.

The older man regained consciousness as they gently pulled him up to a sitting position. He seemed a little disoriented at first, but soon recalled where they were and what had happened. After giving a brief explanation on how he managed to stop their fall, but omitting his own injury and the part concerning Yori, Zero crouched down and let the girls boost the older man onto his back, despite his somewhat feeble objections. Zero's strong hands caught the Chairman firmly behind the knees before standing up, ignoring the twinge in his mostly healed shoulder.

The party descended the rest of the hill carefully, Yuuki beside Zero with a supporting hand on her Father's shoulder and Yori followed from behind, also keeping an eye on the older man. Zero glanced back at her once or twice, but she seemed fine.

The light drizzle petered off as they reached the beach which was still deserted. Slowly, the group made their way back to the apartments and asked for directions to the nearest hospital. Zero drove them there at once, ignoring the Chairman's protests that their mud stained clothing would permanently stain the leather seats of his Accord.

At the hospital, the doctor on duty examined the Chairman's head injury and pronounced the wound not serious, but recommended that he be admitted overnight for observation. Yuuki and Zero both overrode their Father's protests that this was completely unnecessary. Zero went back to get the paperwork sorted after having extracted his Father's credit card while Yuuki and Yori helped to get the Chairman cleaned up and settled in bed.

After promising their Father they would get a good night's rest and return in the morning, the three of them left the ward. Zero insisted on having a nurse take a look at Yuuki's knee and have it cleaned and bandaged before driving them back to the apartment. He dropped them off at the entrance before going off again to get takeout for their dinner, since none of them had the energy not inclination to wander out again.

- o -

After a much needed hot shower, Yuuki sat on her bed sipping at a mug of hot chocolate with her feet tucked under the covers, her mind still dwelling on her confused thoughts as she'd witnessed Zero drinking Yori's blood. She'd made a hot drink for her friend as well, who was currently having her own shower.

Yori soon came back into the room. "Hey, you OK?" she asked, rubbing absently at her wet hair. Yuuki had seemed uncharacteristically subdued all the way back till now. The auburn haired girl nodded and smiled wanly.

"I'm fine, Yori…" she noticed again Zero's bite marks on the other girl's neck and slid out of bed to go over to the dressing table, where her toiletry bag sat. Taking out a new band aid, she peeled off the wrapper and stuck it carefully over the twin wounds on Yori's neck without comment. Zero's bite hadn't been deep, and they were already starting to heal. After giving her friend another small smile, she turned away.

Yori saw the rather bleak look on Yuuki's face and tried to dispel it. "You know, we look like twins" she said in her matter of fact voice, and Yuuki looked back at her, startled. "Or at least, our necks do…" Yori added as she fingered the band aid on her neck before pointing to the one on Yuuki's neck, positioned at almost same spot as her own.

Yuuki blinked at that, then she turned to regard both their reflections in the dressing table mirror beside them. It was true… they both had Zero's bite marks now… and both were covered by band aids… in almost the same place... and suddenly, it seemed funny. Very much so...

Yuuki's lips tilted up, so did Yori's. A giggle sounded from Yuuki, another from Yori - and suddenly both girls were laughing hard, tears of mirth streaming down their cheeks as they held onto each other. Their laughter sounded slightly hysterical at one point, which was partly brought on by reaction from the heartstopping fall earlier but it felt good all the same, and it certainly helped to clear the slight uncertainty between them.

After they had both sobered up and were sitting together on Yuuki's bed, Yori placed an arm around her and said softly "Zero is lucky to have you, Yuuki - you know that, don't you? And he would rather drink your blood than anyone else's any day, you don't have to worry about that…"

Yuuki hugged her friend hard. Yes, she knew. And she was silly to pout over something trivial like that… it was just that she'd sort of gotten used to the fact that Zero only took from her, and no one else… well, other than the time he'd gotten a knife wound in his leg while visiting his parents' graves, and the Chairman had given him his blood while Kaname-sempai carried her to her room…

"Well, I'm glad you were there with us, Yori-chan" she replied, smiling at her friend. "And I'm sure Zero is, too…"

Yori smiled back and her green eyes twinkled with mischief. "I'm sure the way he held me was also vastly different from the way he held you when drinking your blood…" she murmured. Yuuki's blush was answer enough.

Zero came back soon after that, surprised and more than a little relieved to see Yuuki back to her usual cheerful self again as the girls emerged from their bedroom to see what he'd bought for their dinner. They mischievously pointed out the matching band aids at the base of their throats and asked Zero what he thought of the mirror image, giggling mercilessly at him as his face warmed with colour. When he started to apologise, however, both girls relented before relieving him of the food he'd bought and getting the table ready for dinner. Zero muttered something about it being more prudent for Yori to wear a scarf when they went to see the Chairman tomorrow morning, before suddenly remembering that he hadn't showered yet.

The three of them sat down at the dining table five minutes later, not talking much as they ate ravenously. After clearing up, they sat in the living room for fifteen minutes, not talking much. It was surprisingly quiet without the Chairman with them, and they finally decided to go back to the hospital to look in on him once more before coming back to sleep.

- o -

The Chairman was surprised but very pleased to see the three of them again, Yori looking unexpectedly demure with a scarf tied around her neck. Despite the bump he'd sustained on his head, the older man was surprisingly observant. He spent the first ten minutes thanking Zero for getting them all safely back, enquiring about Yuuki's knee, if Yori was all right, and mourning over the sure to be exorbitant hospital bill he was going to be landed with tomorrow. After a minute of silence, he directed his next question at his adopted son. "So, Zero… are you all right? No bruises anywhere?"

Zero was standing by the window, looking out. "I'm fine" he said briefly, but the Chairman persisted. "Were you injured at all, Zero?"

The silver haired prefect paused. In the past few months, they'd actually gone through a lot, both he and Yuuki as well as with their Father, and he was unwilling to lie to him now. He flicked a glance at Yuuki and Yori, who were both sitting down beside the bed. They were looking back him, sporting identical guilty looks. The Chairman noticed and sighed.

"Would that be in any way connected to why Yori-chan is wearing a scarf now?" he asked dryly. Yori's lips twitched as she glanced at Yuuki, who nodded. They both looked at Zero who nodded as well. Yori reached up and untied her scarf.

Despite his suspicions, the older man's eyes widened as he caught sight of the band aid on her neck Immediately, his gaze swung back to Zero who was looking at him calmly.

"Zero…" began the Chairman sternly, then paused, remembering the incident a week ago when he'd jumped to conclusions about his two children and embarrassed himself in the process.

Yuuki quickly intervened after a glance at Zero told her he wasn't going to say anything. "Actually Father, Zero was hurt earlier when he stopped us from sliding down the hill. He'd dislocated his shoulder. He needed blood, and I wanted to give him mine, but he –"

"Yuuki!" the older man interrupted her after darting a panicked look at Yori, who smiled a little. Yuuki saw that look. "It's OK, Father, Yori-chan already knows about Zero, and about the Night Class…"

"What?!"

Yori was saved having to say the same thing three times in as many days as Yuuki took over the explanation. "Well…!" the old man paused, looking at Yori. "I won't tell a soul, Chairman" reassured Yori, her expression serious now.

The Chairman made a mental note to have a separate chat with Yori once they were back at Cross Academy and let it rest for now as he remembered something else. "But why did you take from Yori, Zero?" he asked somewhat reproachfully. "Yuuki was there, and I know she was hurt, but I was there too…"

Zero folded his arms across his chest. "Yuuki's knee was bleeding badly, there was no way I was going to take her blood aga - and you were unconscious, Father" he muttered.

The Chairman noticed the accidental slip but chose to ignore it. "But to drink Yori's blood as well…" he protested.

"I volunteered, Chairman Cross" said Yori, returning the older man's look calmly. "And Zero and Yuuki only agreed after some persuasion…" she added. The Chairman looked mollified at this but he still added "Yori-chan, I'm very grateful for your understanding but what must you think of us…"

Yori smiled enigmatically. "Not a problem, I was happy to help" she said.

The older man's eyes lingered a while more on both the girls' necks but he diplomatically changed the subject. They left soon after that, Yuuki dropping a kiss on her Father's cheek as they she wished him good night.

- o -

After arriving back at the apartment, Yori immediately declared that she was ready for bed as well, but not before giving both of them a meaningful look.

"Let's go for a walk, Yuuki... if your knee is OK" said Zero quietly as soon as Yori disappeared into the bedroom. Yuuki agreed and they took the lifts down and headed out towards the darkened beach again, without speaking.

Again, Zero swung their slippers on a finger, his other hand holding Yuuki's. After they'd walked for about a minute on the sand, he asked "Are you OK, Yuuki?"

Yuuki nodded. "I am, Zero, don't worry"

"I meant, about earlier... when I drank Yori's blood... you're not angry or upset?"

Yuuki had to smile at Zero's bluntness. "No, I'm not" she said softly. "I was at first, but I know you didn't want to…" She smiled again at the look of relief on his face then she continued very softly "And actually, I didn't want you to, either… it sounds so silly, but I was… afraid… that you'd hold her like how you always hold me" her voice was almost inaudible and she glanced down.

Zero's heart leapt at her admission. "Then why did you agree?" he probed gently.

Yuuki looked up at him again, her heartbeat increasing at the look in his eyes. "Because it would have sounded so petty if I'd said no… after all Yori volunteered, and you needed it, Zero. I wouldn't say no just to make myself feel better…"

He smiled suddenly. "I'd rather drink from you anytime, Yuuki, you know that" he admitted and she smiled.

"Really?" she murmured.

"Really" he said a trifle dryly. Surely, she didn't still need reassurance at this point?

Zero released her hand and placed his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close as Yuuki's arm slipped around his waist. Then he bent down to murmur in her ear "After all, your blood is the sweetest in the world, Yuuki" In answer, her arm tightened around his waist. "And your skin is the softest in the world…" He felt her shift against him, and knew she was blushing. "You smell really, really good..." A soft laugh sounded. "And the bonus point is, I get to hold you very close as well…"

Yuuki turned to Zero, wrapping both arms around him and hiding her flushed face in his chest. Zero closed his arms around her and they stood there in silence for a while before Zero spoke again. "I'm grateful to Yori, you know. She helped a lot yesterday but it also made me realise something else…"

He waited until Yuuki had pulled back a little to look up at him. "Realise what?" she asked.

A long finger tapped her lightly on her nose. "How brave you are, Yuuki"

She gasped softly. "Me? Brave? I was terrified yesterday, you saw that!"

Zero grinned. "Anyone would be, after that near disaster. I was scared too… wondering what I would've done if I hadn't stopped both of you, Yuuki" She could still see the lingering fear in the eyes that looked back at her steadily and her heart warmed.

"But you did, Zero" she reassured him softly.

"Fortunately"

After a moment, she reminded him. "So, why am I still brave?"

He grinned briefly then his expression turned serious. "Yori was scared yesterday. She volunteered herself, and you were there with her, but I could still see she was scared… and it made me realise that you've seen me countless of times like that, Yuuki, but you still let me drink your blood, and without fear. You hold me right back each time, and you can even smile at me. You even – you even let me kiss you after that. I - I …" Zero broke off. His throat has closed up suddenly and it was now his turn to swallow a couple of times before he could continue, especially when Yuuki was staring up at him, her eyes wide with surprise. "You have no idea how much all that means to me, dearest" he finished in a hushed whisper, his eyes gazing deeply into hers.

Yuuki swallowed too – Zero's words touched her heart deeply and melted whatever feelings of insecurity she'd felt since yesterday afternoon. He always knew what to say to make her feel better and she smiled tremulously. "I'm so glad you said that, Zero" she whispered, blinking back tears.

Zero bent forward, claiming her soft lips in a gentle but thorough kiss. Then he pulled back to smile at her. "And have I told you I love you today?" he teased her.

Yuuki laughed softly, her eyes still sparkling with unshed tears. She tossed her head slightly. "Nope, I was starting to think you'd forgotten" she said. Zero grinned then pulled her close to whisper the words in her ear, when he actually wanted to shout them aloud. He kissed her once more before they reluctantly walked back to the apartment. Yori was already fast asleep by then.

The next morning, despite waking up quite late, the three of them were in a cheerful mood as they packed their belongings and checked out, Zero settling the bill with the Chairman's credit card which he'd conveniently forgotten to return to its rightful owner last night.

Chairman Cross was also looking and feeling much better. He got into the back seat of the Accord without comment, along with Yori, and slept most of the way as Zero drove them back to Cross Academy, with Yuuki sitting beside him. Yori was quiet as well, lost in her thoughts, and she pretended she didn't see Yuuki's hand stray to rest on Zero's thigh from time to time.

-- End --


	40. Chap 18: Trust & Responsibility Part 1

**Author Notes:** Sorry for the delay! Here is the next chapter, only three parts this time - I must be getting better at not being too long-winded! Enjoy… and hop over to my profile for additional comments.

**Appreciation**: Thank you to **VenG **for pointing out that the last sentence was a bit out of whack - I've corrected it :)

-- Chapter Start --

"Well, that should do it!" said Yori as she finished changing the dressing on Yuuki's knee. The gash had luckily not gotten infected and in fact, was healing nicely.

It was Tuesday night and classes would resume tomorrow after the four day long break over the weekend. Yori had joined the three of them for a dinner that was thankfully devoid of any liver based dishes, since the Chairman wasn't involved in the cooking this time. He'd developed a headache halfway through dinner, courtesy of his insistence on going through his paperwork earlier in the afternoon when he should have been resting instead.

"Thanks, Yori-chan" smiled Yuuki gratefully, who was seated on the living room sofa. She started keeping the extra bandages and tape in the first aid box on her lap as the blond girl stood up.

"Anytime. Well, I'm going back now. Good night, you two" said Yori as she moved towards the door.

Zero had been leaning against the wall nearby watching the two girls since he'd come out from the kitchen after cleaning up. Now he straightened his tall frame. "I'll walk you back, Yori" he offered quietly. There was no reluctance in his tone now and Yuuki smiled at Yori's lifted eyebrows then turned to Zero. "Thanks" she told him. "I'll wait for you here…"

Zero nodded and tucked his hands in his pockets as he and Yori set off for the Sun Dorms in a comfortable silence. As they neared the Sun Dorm gates, Zero's steps slowed and he cleared his throat.

"Yori" he started.

Yori glanced at him.

"I – thanks for your help... you know, during the trip" Zero finished in a casual tone.

Yori immediately knew what he was talking about. After all, she hadn't actually helped much with anything else. "You're welcome, Zero-kun, but you don't have to thank me again" she answered.

Zero glanced at her. "Not just your - blood, and helping me with my arm... but the other parts as well..."

A delicate frown appeared between Yori's eyebrows. "What other parts?" she asked, surprised.

Zero hesitated. "I mean, helping Father after that... and Yuuki too." He bit his lip – expressing gratitude wasn't easy for him especially when he wasn't close to the person for which it was meant, and he wondered now if his words came out sounding patronising or condescending in any way. Or just plain stupid.

"Oh! Well, you're welcome for those parts too" Yori still sounded rather surprised. Zero sounded so... matured... that she couldn't help teasing him a little.

"You know, Zero-kun, you sounded just like the man of the house" she grinned mischievously. "As in..." she affected a deeper voice "... 'thanks for taking care of my family'."

As she'd expected, Zero took it the wrong way and started scowling. OK, so he wasn't good at saying thanks but Yori didn't have to _rub _it in... He opened his mouth to say "Forget it!" but she beat him to it.

"Don't get angry, Zero-kun" she said quickly. "What I meant is that you sounded... mature. Responsible. And that is a good thing, you know?"

Zero hesitated and Yori smiled. "I'm sure Chairman Cross and Yuuki are glad you were there when things went wrong" she said softly. "Just as I'm sure they're proud of who you are now" Even she could see the different person he'd become in the past few months.

Zero stared at her. Yori's tone was sincere, as was the look in her eyes. Then he smiled, the same crooked half smile he gave back at the hill after he'd drunk from her.

"Thank you, Yori" he said.

Yori smiled and wished him good night before going into the Sun Dorm compound. Zero stared after her for a moment before turning to walk back. He was starting to like Yori a little more than he used to.

- o -

Yuuki was still sitting on the sofa with her head propped in her hand, elbow on the arm rest, when Zero walked in. She lifted her head to smile at him.

"All OK?" she asked.

Zero nodded. "It's late, Yuuki, get to bed. Classes start tomorrow..." he walked past the sofa and had almost reached the dining room when he realised Yuuki was still sitting right where she was.

"Hey, you OK?" Zero asked her.

Yuuki was fine but well, since he asked... "Oh, uhm... it's my knee actually..." Immediately, Zero walked back and knelt in front of her, looking down at her bandaged knee in concern. "Why, does it hurt?" he asked.

Yuuki waited until he glanced up at her then she smiled with an impish twinkle in her eyes. "No" she said. "But somehow, I don't think I can walk" she added, biting hard on her lip to keep from giggling.

Zero's eyebrows shot up then he relaxed, smiling a little. "Oh, Yuuki..." He broke off to shake his head.

Yuuki grinned back.

"Just tell me you want to be carried, OK?"

"Well, it sounds nicer when you offer to" A hopeful smile lit Yuuki's face.

"Not if you have to hint for it" Zero's tone was a trifle dry.

"But only if your arm is OK..." Yuuki's brown eyes drifted to the shoulder which he had dislocated in the trip. That had to have been extremely painful. And it was even more painful when Yori popped it back into place...

"Fully recovered and at your service" Zero bent down to lift Yuuki into his arms. She was wearing a sleeveless and collarless top with matching shorts and the skin on the back of her neck and knees were silky soft against Zero's forearms as he swung her up.

Yuuki smiled as she shifted in his arms, letting her head find the comfortable spot on his shoulder and uttering a soft sigh as Zero walked unhurriedly past the dining room and down the corridor. He paused outside her room door and made as if to lower her but Yuuki turned the doorknob and pushed her door open, indicating that she wanted him to carry her inside.

Silently, Zero complied, carrying her to her bed even though she wasn't yet dressed in her pyjamas. After laying her down on the bed, Zero hesitated, then lowered himself onto the edge of the bed, watching her with an unreadable expression in his eyes.

Yuuki sat up once more, her eyes holding onto his. "Kiss me, Zero" she said softly.

Zero's eyes widened slightly. It was he who normally initiated their kisses… not that he minded this surprising turn of events. Bending forward obediently, he placed both hands on her shoulders as Yuuki reached up to cup his face with slender fingers. He tilted his face and placed his lips on hers.

Yuuki's eyes fluttered close as her lips parted willingly under his. Zero's hands slid around her shoulders, pulling her closer as he tasted her sweetness once more, kissing her with a thoroughness that left both of them breathless. Zero finally released Yuuki's mouth but continued trailing kisses over her jaw line and down her neck, making Yuuki's breath hitch as her head tipped back.

Zero's tongue traced the pulse beating quickly at the base of her throat and Yuuki tilted her head a little more, thinking that he wanted to drink from her. But Zero's lips trailed up her jaw line again, seeking her mouth. Yuuki slid her hands down onto his shoulders, brushing gently over his ear piercings along the way. She curled one hand around the back of his neck, fingers sliding through the silky hair as she pulled him closer to her.

But she was still too far - with a muttered exclamation, Zero broke their kiss and caught Yuuki suddenly around her waist, pulling her up onto his lap. "Much better" he growled softly before bending forward to kiss her again. It was similar to how he'd held Yori back at the hill and Yuuki felt a sudden pang as that image displayed in her mind, making her still in his arms.

Zero lifted his head and realised Yuuki was staring at his T-shirt front, her fingers absently stroking the soft material.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Yuuki shook her head. She'd told herself she was fine with it, and she knew there was nothing behind that act, but why did that image continue to haunt her? Why did it cause that strange tightening in her chest? And… did it haunt Yori in the same way, hoping or imagining that the vampire holding her then wasn't Zero Kiriyu... but a certain someone else?

Zero waited for a moment then he sighed. "Are you still thinking about Yori and me that day?" he asked. It wasn't surprising he'd guessed accurately – Yuuki was easy to read and whenever something upset her, it was usually something that had happened very recently, she wasn't someone who held grudges for long.

Yuuki smiled ruefully as she looked up. "It's OK, Zero… just me being silly…"

Zero smiled at that. "Maybe…" he paused and waited until Yuuki pouted before continuing "… but it's part of who you are, you know" He kissed her forehead before depositing her back onto her bed and standing up.

Zero walked over to the door, tossing a casual "Get ready for bed" over his shoulder. The past few minutes had only served to make him long to slide into bed with Yuuki and hold her while they both slept. It had been quite a while since they'd done that but it didn't mean he'd forgotten about it... or what it felt like.

Yuuki hugged her bent knees and smiled at him as he looked back at her from the doorway. "Sometimes Zero... you really make me feel like - like a child, you know?" she said softly, making him frown. Did he really? It definitely wasn't his intention since the feelings he had for her weren't platonic or brotherly at all.

Yuuki smiled at his confusion. "I just meant that you seem so grown up... so mature... even though you're only a year older than me." To her surprise, Zero's eyebrows shot up in surprise at her intended compliment, so similar to Yori's earlier.

She laughed a little at his expression. "You don't have to look so surprised" she chided gently. "I actually meant it in a good sense" Then she yawned. "Good night, Zero" leaving a slightly confused Zero to walk off to his own room, lost in his thoughts and wondering if he'd suddenly aged a few years overnight.

- o -

"I'll be out of town tomorrow" announced the Chairman suddenly as the three of them were having dinner three nights later, on Friday. Yuuki looked up in surprise. "Why?" she asked.

"The bank is closing its branch in the north and all the safe deposit boxes contents there must be claimed by their owners latest by tomorrow. I should have done it sooner of course, but I'd forgotten about it, until the final reminder letter arrived last week. And of course the bank wasn't opened last Saturday because of the public holiday..."

Zero continued eating without comment, but looked up suddenly as the Chairman groaned and dropped his chopsticks. He dipped his head forward suddenly, massaging his temples with his fingers.

"Father? Are you all right?" asked Yuuki at once, her eyes wide with concern. She got up and went over to the older man, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Headache" mumbled the older man. He sighed tiredly. "I've been getting it a couple of times this week, since I hit my head..." Yuuki cast Zero a worried look, which he returned silently, mixed with guilt. The Chairman saw that look and straightened up immediately with a return of his usual cheeriness.

"Now, now, no need to worry, I'm not on my deathbed just yet... The doctor said it will go away after a couple of weeks. Besides, it's my fault for taking us up that hill in the first place, Zero" he said firmly. Zero nodded but didn't say anything. The Chairman's gaze continued to rest on him, looking thoughtful.

"Zero... perhaps you could go in my place?" he asked suddenly.

The silver haired boy looked startled. "What – to the bank? Why me?" he asked.

The Chairman's eyebrows raised. "Why not you?" he asked back.

"Well, it's your personal stuff. Surely you don't want other people poking their noses into it..." Zero's tone said that this should have been obvious enough without requiring an explanation on his part.

"Well, I would if it were other people - but I don't think I'm up to the long trip now. And actually, I don't have any problems with you taking it for me" explained the Chairman, in a tone of voice which clearly said he didn't get why Zero had to make him explain himself.

"Why not?" Zero persisted.

"You're my son, Zero. I trust you"

Zero looked stunned. "You – you do?" he asked after a long moment of silence.

"Of course" the older man was beginning to frown. "Why - should I not?" he asked back. Zero's gaze fell for a moment as Yori's words and Yuuki's surprisingly similar ones came to mind. Then he shrugged carelessly.

Yuuki was observing their exchange silently from where she stood. When Zero glanced at her, as if trying to gauge her reaction, she smiled softly. The message in her large brown eyes was as clear as if she'd said the words aloud. _I trust you too, Zero…_

Zero looked back at the Chairman. "All right, Father" he said quietly.

The older man smiled wanly. "Thank you, Zero. I'll pass you the letter from the bank as well as write you an authorisation letter now, then I think I'm going to bed. You have to be at the train station early, because I haven't purchased the ticket yet, and the train leaves at eight o'clock sharp. The return one is at four o'clock in the afternoon. Don't miss it because that's the only one for the day..." He stood up and went off to his study.

Zero could feel Yuuki's eyes on him, and with good reason. As soon as he looked at her, she said "I'm coming too, Zero", her expression saying she was ready to argue until he gave in.

To Yuuki's astonishment, Zero merely smiled. "Thanks, Yuuki" he said softly.

- o -

The train trip was uneventful. As usual, Yuuki dozed off on Zero's arm, waking up a few minutes before the train pulled into town. They took a taxi upon exiting the station and went straight to the bank. It was crowded.

Obviously, the Chairman wasn't the only one who'd forgotten about clearing out the contents of their safe deposit box. And since the trip took three hours, they weren't among the first persons in the queue either. So Zero and Yuuki had to wait. And wait. And wait some more even after coming back from lunch, noting uneasily that the sky had become overcast.

By the time their turn arrived and Zero had retrieved the heavy brown envelope from the Chairman's box, it was already a quarter to four o'clock.

"It's heavy" remarked Yuuki as she took the envelope from Zero and weighed it in her palm as Zero returned the key and signed out. "I wonder what's inside..."

"Not now, Yuuki" said Zero as he glanced at his wristwatch, then at the clock on the wall for confirmation. He cursed under his breath as he took back the envelope from her. "We have to hurry or we'll miss the train!"

Yuuki gasped as she saw the clock. "Oh no!" She repeated the same words as they stepped out of the bank and saw that it had begun to rain.

- o -

At the train station, Zero and Yuuki stared blankly at the empty tracks where their train had been sitting five minutes ago. They'd gotten a bit wet from the rain after dashing from the taxi to the train station entrance.

"Zero, we're too late" said Yuuki in a small voice.

"Yeah"

They looked at each other. A small frown appeared between Yuuki's delicately shaped brows. "It looks like we're stuck here" she ventured tentatively.

"Yeah" said Zero again. His expression was grim as he closed his eyes and sighed. Inwardly, he was cursing. If only he'd had the foresight to at least bring enough cash... the small amount he had in his pockets now would only cover a meal for them both, but not the cost of somewhere to stay for the night...

"Lucky I brought this, huh?" Yuuki's voice sounded happy and Zero's eyes blinked open in surprise to focus on a roll of notes held triumphantly in her small fist. Quickly, his longer fingers closed over hers. "You don't have to brandish it around, Yuuki... are you trying to attract trouble?" he asked, even as his heart leapt. For all her absent mindedness, Yuuki sometimes was a lot smarter than he tended to give her credit for. Not that he didn't love her exactly the way she was.

Yuuki merely grinned at him as she relinquished the notes to the safety of Zero's hand. "Well, let's go!" she said happily.

An even heavier downpour greeted them when they reached the entrance of the train station. Zero was just wondering if they should wait it out when Yuuki dashed right out into the rain, pulling his hand. "Let's go, Zero!" she said, laughing.

Yuuki loved the rain. Obviously, she'd forgotten a few things, thought Zero as she twirled around happily, forcing him to follow behind.

One – she wasn't a child anymore.

Two – she wasn't outside the Chairman's house, or Cross Academy, where a hot bath and change of clothing were readily available. She was in town; where procuring either items would incur cost.

Three – she was prone to getting fever whenever she got soaked by the rain.

Four – she'd pulled Zero along with her, with the result that she wasn't the only person now getting wet.

Five – well, four reasons were plenty, weren't they?

"Yuuki" began Zero with exaggerated patience. "We didn't bring a change of clothing, you know..." with his free hand, he pushed his wet hair off his face and looked at her disapprovingly.

Yuuki's lips formed a small oval. "Oh" she said. "Sorry..."

Zero rolled his eyes and pulled her to the nearest sheltered pavement along the shops. He was pretty sure they'd passed by a couple of smaller hotels this morning. But first, they had to find a pay phone to let their Father know what had happened…

- o -

"Two single rooms, please" requested Zero crisply as soon as he'd reached the front desk of the hotel lobby, Yuuki trailing behind him and looking around her with her usual curiosity.

The hotel clerk, a motherly looking lady in her late thirties, nodded and smiled sympathetically at their wet appearance, evidence of the heavy downpour outside. She turned to the computer screen in front of her.

"Why? One will do" chipped in Yuuki, looking from Zero to the hotel clerk.

The lady paused in the midst of checking for room availability. She glanced from the petite auburn haired girl to the taller boy at her side for confirmation, seeing the startled look he gave the girl beside him.

"All right – one room" agreed Zero, after realising the clerk was looking at him. He didn't want to cause a scene right now. "Twin sharing" he added quickly.

Yuuki shook her head. "Double bed" she said.

The hotel clerk was starting to smile now as she glanced at Zero again but he wasn't looking at her. Both the boy and girl were now staring at each other without speaking. At least not out loud… but their eyes spoke volumes.

_Why are you asking for one room, Yuuki?_

_Why are you asking for two, Zero? That's just a waste of money._

_Because...! _Amethyst eyes closed briefly in frustration.

_I trust you. You know I do. _A smile trembled on soft pink lips.

_I know. But..._

_And I'm scared to sleep by myself..._

_Really? _A sardonic eyebrow lifted. _You have no problems sleeping by yourself back in your own room._

_Well... _Small white teeth caught on a lower lip. _That's different... this is a hotel, not home. Besides, there's going to be a thunderstorm tonight, I just know it!_

_Fine. We share a room. _Amethyst eyes closed again, then snapped open. _But at least we should get twin beds!_

_Why? We'll only end up sleeping in one... Besides, a double bed would be more comfortable, wouldn't it?_ Again, that slight hopeful smile made its appearance.

Yuuki saw Zero hesitate. Was it so difficult for him to understand what she wanted? "Zero, I want you to hold me when we sleep" she said softly. "I – I miss that..." she added in a whisper.

Zero exhaled and closed his eyes again briefly. "Yuuki, you can't possibly miss it more than me" he said huskily, his voice aching with longing as he looked at her once more.

Another tremulous smile formed on Yuuki's lips as they stared at each other. Finally, Zero shook his head ruefully at her before turning back to the desk clerk who was by now grinning widely.

"One single room with double bed" Zero said briefly. The lady nodded with alacrity and passed him a form to fill out. As Zero grabbed a pen and moved to one side, she turned to Yuuki and winked. "He's sweet, this young man of yours... treasure him, won't you?" she said very, very softly, unaware of Zero's acute vampire hearing.

Yuuki knew Zero had heard every word since the tips of his ears were starting to turn pink. She grinned back at the lady. "He is, and I do" she said simply.

The sweet young man in question scowled darkly as he shoved both pen and paper back at the lady and paid for the room. After getting the receipt and pocketing it, he turned back to Yuuki.

"Let's go" he said brusquely. Completely unaffected by Zero's tone, Yuuki grinned at the lady once more before trailing after him. Her smile faltered when she caught up with him and saw the grim look on his face. That was strange - she would've thought Zero would be ecstatic at the thought of sharing a bed with her, but it looked like he wasn't.

Inside the lift, Zero didn't say anything as he jabbed almost angrily at the lift button for their room floor. He folded his arms and glared up at the slowly changing numbers displayed on the LCD panel above the lift doors as the lift ascended. Yuuki eyed him, chewing on her bottom lip again. Perhaps he was angry because she'd embarrassed him in front of the hotel clerk just now...

Zero inserted the key card into the door slot and pushed open the door before gesturing for Yuuki to go in first. The room was small, but comfortable and clean. Yuuki's eyes were immediately drawn towards the neatly made Queen-sized double bed that stood against the wall. When she glanced up at Zero, she saw him staring at the bed as well, his expression grim.

"Zero?"

"Go take a hot shower. Now" ordered Zero curtly. Seeing Yuuki about to argue, he raised an eyebrow at her again. "Or do you want to get fever again?" he asked. His big brother tone rankled and Yuuki tossed her head but didn't say anything as she turned and stalked off to the attached bathroom. She was somewhat guiltily aware that she'd gotten them both wet earlier by dashing out into the rain like that...

As Yuuki shed her wet T-shirt, jeans and damp underwear, she now realised something else. Neither of them had brought along any spare clothes since this was meant to be a day trip. That meant - that meant they both had nothing else to wear except what they currently had on. They didn't even have a toothbrush on them.

Luckily, the hotel provided toothbrushes as well as the basic toiletries. Even better, two snowy white terrycloth bathrobes, one large and the other medium size, hung neatly behind the bathroom door. Yuuki heaved a sigh of relief. It looked like they would have to splurge on room service for dinner as well as laundry service to get their wet clothes cleaned.

As Yuuki stepped into the shower cubicle and turned on the hot water tap, she was grateful they were paying for the room in cash rather than their Father's credit card - she wouldn't want to see his reaction otherwise...

-- To Be Continued --


	41. Chap 18: Trust & Responsibility Part 2

**Author Notes:** Part 2 of 3…

-- Continued --

Zero shut his eyes tightly, running both hands down his face as Yuuki closed the bathroom door behind her. Once again, she'd forgotten to lock it, and he sighed. Zero knew Yuuki was annoyed with him for being so brusque with her earlier and just now but he couldn't help it. He _was _annoyed. With her, but mostly with himself.

Because he hadn't wanted to get two rooms. He'd wanted to get only one.

And he hadn't wanted to get twin beds either. He'd wanted only one. A double bed no less.

It had nothing to do with saving money and everything to do with what he really wanted. With an effort, Zero had tamped down on his own wishes because it was the right thing to do. He could still clearly recall the shocked look on the Chairman's face a few months ago the moment Zero informed him that Yuuki had spent the night in his bed. Even though that incident was now resolved and their Father knew nothing… untoward - or really untoward anyway - had happened between him and Yuuki, that look had stayed in Zero's mind. He and Yuuki had stopped sleeping in each other's beds since then, even if they knew they each still wanted to… Hence his attempt to be a gentleman.

And earlier this week, both Yuuki and Yori had observed the same thing about him being more matured and caring and the Chairman had compounded it saying he trusted him. And Zero was touched by what they'd said. They were his family – well Yori was a friend more than anything else – but they thought well of him. And – and he _wanted _them to.

But now, Yuuki had gone on to blithely not only override his request for two rooms, but his other request for twin beds as well. Why did she always trust him so much? Why did she think he had iron self-control? And as much as this obvious trust pleased him, this was why he was annoyed with her.

And Zero had not only ceded to her request, deep down, he was actually happy about it. A little apprehensive and a little excited perhaps, but definitely happy about it. Very happy actually. And this was why Zero was annoyed with himself.

- o -

After using the hair dryer, Yuuki ran the hotel plastic comb through her hair then opened the door of the bathroom and stepped out into the cooler air of the bedroom. A quick glance told her that Zero was still in a bad mood. He'd stripped off his wet T-shirt and was holding it in his hand as he looked frowningly out of the window.

"Zero? It's your turn…" said Yuuki, her face solemn.

Zero nodded curtly and brushed past her to go into the bathroom, closing the door with unnecessary force. The lock clicked just as loudly, causing Yuuki to stare at the door indignantly. Really – sometimes Zero was just too much! Was he actually expecting her to barge in there just so that she could feast her eyes on his naked body? Not that it wouldn't be nice, she was sure, but of course she wouldn't!

Huffing to herself, Yuuki grabbed one of the bottles of drinking water provided by the hotel on the study desk then got into bed, sliding her legs under the covers. She was hungry now and that reminded her that she hadn't talked to Zero about calling for room service. Sighing, she curled up on her side, facing the bathroom. She could hear the shower running now and knew it wouldn't last long - Zero's showers never did…

When Zero came out, he was clad in the other hotel bathrobe. He eyed her silently, finally noticing she was dressed as he was. There was a moment of awkward silence as they looked at each other, Zero slowly approaching the bed. He didn't look angry anymore and Yuuki felt a sense of relief. She offered a tentative smile and Zero's eyes lingered on her lips for a moment. Then he sat down at the edge of the bed and looked at her gravely.

"I was angry just now - sorry" he said quietly.

Yuuki's eyebrows raised in surprise, then she shrugged. "I got us both wet, that was my fault" she said just as quietly.

Zero shook his head. "I wasn't angry about that"

Yuuki's eyebrows rose even higher. A moment later, she bit her lip. "Oh, you mean about the hotel clerk? She – she didn't mean for you to hear that remark, Zero…"

Zero shook his head again. "I wasn't angry about that either"

"Oh…" Yuuki searched about in her mind because Zero was looking at her as though he expected her to know what he meant, but she came up with blank. "Well, why were you angry then?" she finally asked.

"I was angry at myself" he finally admitted.

Yuuki's mouth fell open. "What? Why?" she demanded. "You didn't make it rain… or – or cause the delay at the bank…"

That made Zero smile humourlessly. "Don't you know?" he asked. Yuuki shook her head.

Zero sighed. "Never mind" he muttered and moved to stand up. Yuuki reached forward and grabbed his arm. "Wait – tell me, Zero!" she insisted.

Zero sat down again and sighed. "Because _this _is what I actually wanted, Yuuki" he said. "For us to sleep together in the same bed tonight" Yuuki's lips parted in surprise, a faint blush starting up immediately even though his words didn't really surprise her. But something else did. "Then why did you request for two rooms?" she asked, bewildered.

Zero's laughter sounded hollow, even to his ears. "God knows" he muttered. Yuuki was still staring at him. "I guess… I didn't want to – to…" he hung his head and exhaled loudly, not knowing how to continue.

Yuuki was looking at him and she smiled suddenly. "Because of what happened last time, with Father…" she finished quietly.

Zero's head came up. "Yeah" he said quietly.

"And because of what I said that night, about you being more matured now?" Again, Yuuki's sudden comprehension surprised him. She understood – Zero could see it in her eyes and the ridiculous feeling of embarrassment faded. "Yori said pretty much the same thing too, when I walked her back that night" he admitted.

Yuuki smiled happily. "You are that, Zero" she said softly, giving his arm a squeeze. Then her smile widened. "Oh, don't worry, if Father asks, we'll just say we didn't bring enough money for two rooms, that's all!"

Zero looked taken aback for a second before his lips quirked. Then he shook his head and started chuckling. It turned into laughter which Yuuki joined in as well. Finally, Zero reached over and ruffled Yuuki's hair, grinning when she laughingly protested. Because if he didn't, he would have enveloped her in a tight hug right then.

Zero was still grinning when he called Housekeeping after that, to take care of their wet clothes – "which is another reason why we didn't have enough money for two rooms, you see…" said Yuuki solemnly, only to spoil it with a giggle as she caught sight of Zero's look.

They then called room service to order their dinner, picking reasonably priced items from the copy of the hotel menu on the study desk. Both of them ate ravenously when the food arrived, not speaking much.

Comfortably full now, Yuuki slid under the covers of the bed once more after she'd gone back to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Zero was now doing the same - he'd closed the bathroom door but not locked it this time.

As Yuuki lay back against the pillows, she realised her heart was beating a little faster than usual. That was strange, she thought, considering the comfortable and companionable silence during their dinner a few minutes ago. After all, it wasn't the first time they'd slept together in the same bed, and she knew Zero wouldn't do anything without her consent. He'd been a lot more reticent about seeing and touching specific parts of her body actually, since the night of Kaname's birthday party…

But still… Yuuki propped her head on one hand as she ran the fingers of her other hand along the smooth cotton sheets. During the past times she'd slept in Zero's arms, she hadn't known how he felt about her. And now she did. Would it make a difference? Would she be able to relax tonight as they slept, knowing he felt something extra for her?

Yuuki sighed soundlessly. She shouldn't worry like this. She trusted Zero after all. With her life. And even her virtue. Yes, even that. Color rose in Yuuki's cheeks as memories rose unbidden in her mind. She'd told Zero not to think anymore about that fateful night but she knew he still did. She did too. Because what happened that night wasn't something you could easily forget, especially if you were as new to it she and Zero both were. Biting her lip unconsciously, Yuuki closed her eyes and let that scene in the bathroom play in her mind again.

Not the first part, when Zero had been angry, aroused with blood lust and rough, but the second time, after he'd come to his senses and wanted to offer her comfort after his apology. Until that comfort had morphed into heated desire that had them both using their lips and tongues, hands and fingers. Until Zero had come so very, very close to taking something from her that she wasn't actually ready to give. Not to him, not to Kaname-sempai, not to anyone. Not when she still wasn't one hundred percent sure whom she wanted to give her heart to.

But he'd done something else after that, and a shiver of awareness ran through Yuuki as her blush deepened in response. Yes, in many ways, Zero had physical knowledge of her that Kaname-sempai didn't have. For one thing, she and Zero had shared their first kiss with each other. And each of their succeeding ones, as well. She was pretty sure Zero hadn't kissed any other girl since then. And she definitely hadn't kissed Kaname-sempai. At least, not on the lips. And definitely not _that _way…

Zero had seen more of her, touched more of her, even _done _more with her. Yuuki's blush intensified as she recalled just exactly how much. So what did she feel for Zero? She couldn't actually pretend that he was still just a friend or brother to her… no, not anymore…

The bathroom door opened suddenly and Yuuki's head jerked up, then down again. Zero stepped out of the bathroom, eyeing Yuuki curiously. She was studiously scrutinising the creamy sheets under her fingers and was also blushing deeply. He wondered why…

Glancing at his wristwatch, Zero saw it was only half past nine, too early for sleeping. But never too early for cuddling up with Yuuki in bed. Especially a Yuuki dressed only in a bathrobe belted around the waist, with an enchanting bloom of colour on her cheeks.

Zero lifted the covers on his side of the bed and got in, deliberately not looking at Yuuki. Even though he could smell her soft sweet scent mixed with the hotel soap and shampoo. Teasing him. Tempting him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yuuki edge away from the centre of the bed, trying to hide the look of wariness on her face.

A little puzzled, he casually suggested "Let's see what's on TV, huh?" as he reached for the remote control on the nightstand beside him. Yuuki nodded quickly, seeming to relax a little.

Zero flipped through the channels, his mind and his full attention on the girl beside him. Finally, he stopped at a news channel and stared at the screen for a full minute without taking in a single word the newscaster was saying. He was willing to bet Yuuki hadn't either.

Finally, he thumbed the On/Off button on the remote and the newscaster disappeared. There was silence as they both stared at the now blank TV screen. Zero glanced over at Yuuki, moving just his head. Yuuki continued staring at the blank screen as though mesmerised, even though he knew she was aware that he was looking at her.

"Why did you ask for a single room, Yuuki?" Zero asked suddenly. _Because it's obvious you're somehow afraid of me. Or of being in the same room with me. Or maybe of being in the same bed with me._

Yuuki's large brown eyes flicked towards him, then back at the TV. "I told you earlier…" she said, half to herself.

"Look at me" Zero's voice was quiet.

Yuuki started to turn towards him, then she stopped and shook her head. She didn't know what was wrong with her. Well, maybe because of what was running through her mind earlier. But this wasn't some stranger in bed beside her, this was Zero, her closest friend. Someone she trusted, despite all that had happened between them. So why on earth was she feeling so nervous and awkward all of a sudden?

Zero made a sudden movement and instinctively, Yuuki's gaze swung towards him, her eyes wide and startled. Zero's eyes flashed pain in response, his heart clenching suddenly. "Yuuki – you – you can't be _afraid _of me?" he asked.

Yuuki shook her head immediately. "No! No, of course not" she denied.

Zero's eyes roved over her face, not quite believing her. "Then why are you behaving like I'm going to pounce on you at any minute?" he asked quietly, looking hurt and a little bewildered at the same time. His heart was still clenched in pain and confusion.

Yuuki blushed and hesitated, her teeth catching on her lower lip again. Then she forced herself to look at Zero as she sat up straighter and moved closer to him. Zero held his breath and didn't move a muscle. Yuuki inched closer until she was sitting in the middle of the bed, the sleeve of her bathrobe touching his. Her smile was uncertain but her eyes were open and honest.

"I'm sorry if I scared you" she admitted. She glanced down, then forced herself to look up at Zero. "I was just… thinking actually…" she added. Goodness, what a bundle of nerves she was, getting all worked up over such a trivial thing like sharing a bed with Zero, who in all likelihood didn't have anything at all on his mind other than the prospect of a good night's sleep just holding her in his arms…

Zero's shoulders relaxed a little even though his frown remained. "Thinking of what?" he asked.

Then, as Yuuki shook her head, he probed further "About that night?"

The guilty flush on her cheeks gave Yuuki away and Zero exhaled. "I'm not going to _do _anything, I already told - "

Yuuki held out a hand, shaking her head to interrupt him. "Please, Zero, don't say that!" she said, a slight panicky look on her face. "I know you won't, I – I wasn't thinking that you would" she added quickly.

Zero closed his eyes for a moment - this was torture. "Then what are you so nervous about?" he demanded.

Yuuki wet suddenly dry lips and found Zero's gaze focused on them with disturbing intensity. She forced herself to talk again. "I wasn't talking about _that _night… but the other one after that. When you said that you… love me. And that's why I think this – is… unfair to you… that's all"

Zero was silent, just looking at her. The hurt look in his eyes had disappeared and Yuuki sighed in relief. Feeling better, she took a deep calming breath and was able to continue without hedging this time "I didn't think earlier, when I asked for one room. It's unfair of me, expecting you to hold me like how you used to do… and not get anything in return. I'm sorry, Zero"

Then, as Zero still stared at her, Yuuki hunched a shoulder uncomfortably. "That's why. It's not that I'm afraid of you" she mumbled. That thought suddenly struck her as being a little funny, even, and Yuuki smiled at Zero, her large eyes filled with affection. "As if I could ever be…"

Zero sighed then, his body relaxing, his own lips curving into a rueful smile. "Yuuki, you - you are…" He broke off, shaking his head.

Yuuki scowled and sat up straighter - she had a feeling she wouldn't like this one but she'd started it…"Say it, Zero – I dare you to!" she challenged, chin lifted, all geared up for battle now.

Zero smiled again and bent forward to touch his forehead to hers. "… my dearest" he murmured, his eyes soft and tender.

As he had expected, Yuuki's lips parted in an oval of surprise, her eyes huge. He took advantage of her stunned silence to kiss her gently before reaching behind him to prop his pillows higher against the headboard. Curling his other arm around Yuuki's shoulders, he leaned back and drew her down to rest against him. Yuuki punched him lightly in the chest before burying her face in the front of his bathrobe. Zero rested his chin on her head. "What do you mean, I'm not getting anything in return, Yuuki?" he asked half serious, half teasing. "I get to hold you in my arms, don't I?"

Then, as Yuuki shifted against him, wanting to say something, Zero sighed and tightened his arm around her. "And I'm not asking for anything more than that right now…" he said softly. _Just let me hold you… and trust in me…_

"Thank you, Zero" Yuuki's reply was even softer. _I trust you…_

Zero reached for the remote again and thumbed it on. Yuuki smiled a little to herself. She didn't know why she'd been so nervous earlier. She shifted a little and made herself more comfortable against Zero, taking his hand off her shoulder and pulling it around her waist instead, where it would be more comfortable for both of them.

"You know Zero, you spoil me…" she said softly, her gaze on the TV.

Zero glanced down at her. "I know"

There wasn't anything interesting to see on TV so he switched it off again. "Sleepy now?" he asked.

"A little…"

"Do you want the lights turned off?"

"Mmm… yes"

Zero straightened up, Yuuki as well. He adjusted his pillows once more, then reached over for the controls at the nightstand next to him. The room plunged into darkness, dimly lit only by the lights from the partly closed drapes.

Lying down on the pillows, Zero reached for Yuuki again. She pillowed her head on his shoulder, one hand under the same shoulder, the other on his chest, feeling his heartbeat strong and steady under her palm. He felt so nice and warm to snuggle up to…

"Zero?"

"Hmm?"

"I really -… " Oh dear, was she starting to repeat herself now?

"Uhm, never mind"

"Me too"

Yuuki lifted her head off his shoulder, frowning a little. "Did you know what I was going to say?" she asked curiously.

"'Oh, I really like how you hold me, Zero'" he gave a wicked imitation of her voice and Yuuki gasped in surprise before bursting into somewhat mortified giggles, punching Zero's chest unmercifully at the same time and making his chuckles turn into groans instead. "You… you jerk!"

"Ow, hey, stop that…"

After a while when they had both quietened down, Yuuki asked "Do I always say that?"

"Yes, you do" Zero's arm tightened around her, hugging her closer to him. "But I love hearing it from you each time…"

A small giggle escaped Yuuki. "That's good because I'll be sure to say it every day from now -"

There was a sudden silence as they both became aware of the implied promise in those impulsively spoken words.

"Will you?" Zero's voice was very quiet in the darkness.

Yuuki's teeth caught at her lower lip again, her fingers unconsciously fingering the opening on Zero's bathrobe. Would she?

"Will you always say that to me, Yuuki? Every day from now on?" he asked again.

Yuuki's fingers found Zero's free hand in the dark and she squeezed it hard. "I hope I will, Zero… always" she said, her voice very soft and trembling very slightly.

Her slender body was also trembling against his and Zero closed his eyes, his heart constricting. _But how can you when you don't love me the way I love you? And when I don't have always…? _

"Switch on the light, please, Zero" Yuuki's voice was still very soft. Zero reached over to flick on the switch.

Yuuki sat up and Zero's breath caught in his throat. There was a look in her brown eyes he'd never seen before.

"Yuuki?" he asked softly.

Yuuki gazed at Zero. She started to say something, then paused. "I think…" she began tentatively.

Zero waited.

Yuuki continued hesitantly "I know… that I've always thought of you as my brother, Zero, and as – as a friend, but now –" she broke off and bit her lip.

Zero didn't say anything but he almost stopped breathing when he saw the conflicting emotions in Yuuki's wide eyes.

"I mean, when you drank from Yori that day, I was… jealous of her. I didn't realise until then -" again she broke off and looked down.

Zero forced himself to continue breathing.

Yuuki wet her lips with her tongue, feeling unaccountably shy. There was something she wanted to say but she didn't really know how to say it. Because she wasn't really sure that she knew how she felt. Or even if she knew, she wasn't sure if she _could _say it.

She looked at Zero. "I think you know what I'm trying to say…" she whispered.

Zero nodded briefly. "I think so" he said softly, his eyes intent on hers. "But just in case I'm wrong, why don't you tell me?" he suggested.

A smile tugged at Yuuki's lips then she punched him half heartedly in the chest. "You jerk" she said and the sheer affection in her voice made the word almost an endearment.

"Say it, Yuuki"

Yuuki glanced down where her hand was now placed flat against Zero's chest. She was encouraged to feel that his heartbeat wasn't quite as steady as his look so she peeped up at him again. "I think… perhaps… I – you're not… that is, I don't… see you…" she floundered.

Zero closed his eyes and prayed for patience before shaking her slightly.

"Say it, Yuuki!" he groaned. This was just torture…

"You're more than just a brother to me…" whispered Yuuki finally, blushing at the same time.

"Really?" Zero breathed.

"Yes"

"Yuuki…"

"You're a really good friend too"

It wasn't what Yuuki actually wanted to say but she couldn't help it. She burst out giggling at the stunned look on Zero's face now. He groaned and shook her again, just a little harder. "Are you playing with me?" he demanded.

Yuuki stopped giggling but she was still smiling. "I'm sorry, Zero" she apologised. Then her smile disappeared, leaving her looking unexpectedly serious. "What I meant to say, Zero, is that I – I like you very, very much" she ended rather lamely.

Zero sighed in defeat before leaning down to touch his forehead to hers. "I think you said it better the last time" he muttered.

"Said what? When?"

"You said you loved me. Remember?"

Yuuki blushed again. "Oh… you mean that night when you… uhm…"

"When I said I love you" Zero finished for her steadily.

Yuuki smiled tentatively. "Well, I do love you, Zero"

"Just not that way – I know…" He knew it before but it still hurt all the same.

A smile trembled on Yuuki's lips. "But I think I could be wrong" she whispered, her eyes wide and uncertain.

Zero stopped breathing. "What are you saying, Yuuki?"

Yuuki glanced down, shrugging. "I… well, how can I kiss you if I don't love you?" she demanded suddenly.

Zero's look was grim. "I don't know, you tell me" he said evenly.

Annoyed that he wasn't helping her at all, Yuuki shifted about, folding her arms together. "I think… I'm pretty sure actually… that I… that I…" she broke off and huffed in frustration. She loved Kaname-sempai, she knew she did. But she loved Zero too. More than she ever did before. But did she love him in the same way as she did Kaname? And if she did, then where did that leave Kaname-sempai? Or Zero? Oh, why did everything have to be so confusing?

Yuuki sighed. "You're more than a brother to me, Zero" she finally admitted, her eyes clear and open. "And you're more than a friend as well"

Zero stared at her. "Really?" he asked.

Yuuki blushed. "Really" she returned softly.

Zero smiled then, his dimple flashing, and Yuuki's breath caught at the sight. "You should smile more often, Zero"

"Well, you should give me a reason to…"

A smile quivered on Yuuki's lips but her gaze dropped under his ardent ones and he pulled her close for a moment, pressing his lips against her forehead. "Let's sleep"

Yuuki looked at him in surprise. "Don't you want to talk some more?"

Zero rolled his eyes. "I don't think my heart can take anymore suspense tonight" he said, deadpan.

Yuuki giggled before settling back against him. "You're too nice to me, Zero" she said.

"I know" Zero flicked off the light switch. "Sleep tight"

"You too"

-- To Be Continued --


	42. Chap 18: Trust & Responsibility Part 3

**Author Notes:** Part 3. Uhm… well, it's rather limey, hope you enjoy it... Check out my profile for more comments.

-- Continued --

When morning arrived, Zero awoke first. He was lying spooned around Yuuki with her head pillowed on his right forearm and her back against his. His left arm was curled around her slender waist, and her bare legs were deliciously tangled up with his below their knee-length bathrobes under the covers. All these combined to bring Zero from sleep to full wakefulness in nothing flat.

Cautiously, he rose up on one elbow and craned his neck to see Yuuki's face, then froze. The tie on her bathrobe had loosened in the night and the now gaping robe afforded Zero an unexpected but most delightful view of Yuuki's sweet curves. His breath caught as he feasted his eyes on the swell of one creamy smooth breast, the exposed nipple soft and pink. He groaned inwardly. It brought back memories of how good Yuuki felt. In his hand and against his fingers. And how sweet Yuuki tasted. On his tongue and in his mouth. And oh, how he wanted to both feel and taste her once again…

Yuuki stirred a little. Guiltily, Zero lay back down on his pillow. Yuuki turned to face him, still sleeping, and as Zero's arm slipped from her waist, it pulled the loosened tie off completely as well. The other side of her bathrobe now fell open, exposing her left breast instead, and one long stretch of creamy smooth pale skin all the way down to her thigh. Zero's breath caught again in his throat, his body instantly alive and tingling, his senses reacting helplessly to Yuuki, completely defenseless in her sleep. Her exposed breast was so close to his left hand… a mere couple of inches really…

Yuuki's eyes fluttered open, closed, then opened again. A wide awake Zero was staring with rapt fascination at her chest and glancing down, she realised why. Completely awake now, Yuuki started to blush but she didn't say a word, she didn't move a muscle, and she didn't blink. Not even when Zero's hand moved to hover above her breast. Not even when it closed over her flesh. But her soft inhalation as her nipple hardened against his palm brought Zero's eyes up to look at her, admiration and guilt showing on his face. He made as if to take his hand away and paused.

Because surprisingly, Yuuki hadn't slapped his hand away. She hadn't moved. Period.

Silence grew as they both looked at each other, heads still resting on the same pillow. Slowly, still looking into his eyes, Yuuki rose up on her left elbow, her pulse racing as Zero's hand remained on her flesh. A longer silence followed as their breathing grew quicker, more shallow.

Zero swallowed. He should remove his hand. But Yuuki didn't look like she wanted him to. So he let his hand slide downwards to cup the swelling flesh instead, loving the feel of the silky skin against his fingers, loving the sweet weight of it nestled in his palm. Loving everything about it.

Yuuki blushed even deeper but she didn't look offended or angry. Instead, she looked somehow… accepting, intrigued. By silent agreement, they both sat up slowly now, facing each other, Zero's hand still physically connecting them.

After a moment, Zero's thumb moved. It reached up to touch her nipple and the softened pink bud puckered up once more. A very soft gasp escaped from Yuuki's parted lips. Her eyes were huge as she continued to look at him. Zero's thumb whisked over her nipple again. And again. Once more… and those drowningly huge brown eyes closed.

Yuuki moaned softly. She couldn't think… she could only feel… and every nerve end in her body felt like they were acutely connected and focused on the single maddening touch of Zero's stroking thumb, making her breath hitch in her throat. Until the sweet torment stopped and his hand fell away from her. Zero had stopped even before she asked him to, and Yuuki realised with slowly dawning embarrassment that this must mean Zero actually had better self-control than she did.

Or not…

Because he had now replaced his thumb with his tongue. "Ooh…!" Yuuki inhaled sharply, her eyes flying open as she looked down to see Zero's silver head at her chest, the soft silver hair over his forehead tickling her chest.

But her protest died in her throat. She didn't know why… Maybe it was the fact that Zero was being inordinately gentle now. No – it wasn't that. Maybe it was because she really did see him in a different light than she had before. And she knew now she wanted to be the only girl Zero would ever hold in his arms, not just the only girl he would ever take blood from.

Besides, this was… well, this was Zero. She knew for certain he would stop what he was doing in an instant if she asked him to, so it was – safe – to let him continue for just a little while longer, because to be honest, she did want to know… and feel… just a little bit more.

Zero's tongue was warm and moist as he licked her hardened nipple, laving it. He paused for a moment, as if expecting Yuuki to stop him. But she didn't. So he closed his lips around the hardened tip and very, very gently sucked it into his waiting mouth. Yuuki exhaled shakily. Zero sucked her in deep and Yuuki gasped. His tongue started rasping against her and she moaned. Then he used his teeth – again, very gently and Yuuki's breath blew out in a sudden rush. She shifted a little closer to Zero, her body tingling, her trembling fingers brushing over the cool metal that adorned both his ears before tangling in his hair, still undecided whether to pull him closer or push him away. Either way, she could hardly think.

Zero lifted his head and looked at her, and Yuuki's hands fell away. The amethyst hue in his eyes had darkened to a dusky twilight. "Had enough?" he asked huskily.

Yuuki started to nod, hesitated, then shook her head impulsively. Zero looked a little taken aback at first, then a slow and tantalising smile curved his lips. He slowly parted the other side of her bathrobe with one lean finger, exposing the other treasure to his admiring gaze.

Yuuki's eyes drifted shut again, her head falling back as she felt his thumb on her once more. She moaned in delight, her breath hitching in her throat as his lips eventually replaced his thumb, enjoying the sweet torment Zero was wrecking on her senses. He moved closer, drawing her even deeper into his mouth, intent on giving her pleasure. Yuuki shivered almost violently in response, a distant part of her mind telling her she'd better stop soon if she didn't want a repeat of what had happened last time…

Zero groaned aloud as Yuuki twisted aside suddenly and he lost contact with that sweetly enticing mound of warm flesh. "E-enough… Zero!" she gasped, panting. Zero tensed up, his breath as ragged as hers but sounding a lot more laboured. Then he turned aside as well, dragging his hands over his face. "Yeah" he muttered. "Just as well…"

Yuuki pulled both sides of the bathrobe closed tightly, cheeks flaming. She snatched up the tie that was lying on the bed and whipped it around her waist, tying it with trembling fingers. They sat there on the bed for a while, Yuuki's fingers were still clenched tightly on the knot she'd made as she stared at Zero but he didn't look back at her.

Finally, Yuuki swallowed and cleared her throat tentatively. "Uhm…Zero? Don't – don't apologise or anything, OK?"

Zero swung around to face her then. "Why not?" he asked, surprised.

Yuuki managed a rather embarrassed smile. "Because I didn't push you away immediately…"

"So?"

Yuuki bit her lip. "So I guess - it's my fault too" she said, the words coming out in a rush.

Zero's look softened. "Yeah, it is" he agreed.

"What?!"

Zero's look became almost stern. "It's your fault for being so beautiful" he said shortly before turning away again and dragging his hands through his hair.

There was a stunned silence before a soft, rather surprised laugh followed. Zero turned around just in time to catch Yuuki as she threw herself at him. Her unexpected weight pushed him to fall back onto the covers, with Yuuki on top of him. She gave him a quick kiss on the lips then scrambled to get off but Zero's arms tightened around her immediately, his legs trapping her at the same time. Yuuki gasped – there was no mistaking his body was – awake – as well. Zero arched his neck to kiss her in return but she pulled away slightly. "Do you want to… you know, take a cold shower?" she asked tentatively.

Zero hesitated then his arms and legs fell away, releasing her as he sighed. "Yeah, I think I'd better - although I don't think it's going to help" he muttered

Yuuki braced her hands on the covers beside his head, a small frown appearing on her face. "Why not?" she asked.

Zero grimaced. "Never mind" He gave her shoulders a slight push. "C'mon, get off, Yuuki." She obediently slid off him and Zero sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed before standing up. There was a sudden intake of breath from Yuuki.

"Oh! Do you mean you need to - you know, er, relieve… uhm, that is…" Zero shot a glance at Yuuki - her eyes were huge and she was looking rather scandalised. Well, that _was _what he had in mind but…

"Zero, can I… uhm, that is, can I watch?"

"What? No!"

"Why not?"

"Because!"

"But – but you touched me! Yes, you've touched my… erm, me the last time…"

"So?"

"So?! So it's only fair that you let me see you!"

Zero controlled his somewhat exasperated grin. "OK Yuuki, I've touched you - yes. If you wanna talk about fair, do you mean to say you wanna touch my…?" he trailed off suggestively.

"Ooh! Of course not!" Yuuki's eyes widened even more with shock. But at the same time, she looked a little intrigued as well.

"Good. Then stay there" Zero told her sternly, thinking that perhaps a cold shower would be sufficient after that… interesting… discussion they just had. He took a step towards the bathroom then stopped.

His chest was beginning to tighten with the familiar symptoms of bloodlust. It had been a week since he'd last taken blood from Yori, during the holiday trip. Zero groaned silently as his hand came up to grip the front of his bathrobe. Not now… not when his body was still hard with desire… He didn't want to lose control again the way he had during that night…

"Zero? Are you OK?" Yuuki got off the bed as well and walked around to his front before Zero could turn away. She saw his symptoms immediately. "Oh"

"No, Yuuki"

Yuuki frowned – he was saying 'No' after all this time? "What do you mean 'No'?" she asked a little indignantly. "Don't tell me you're bringing up all those old arguments?"

"No, Yuuki, as in not now, not when I'm – I'm –" Zero broke off, not knowing what to say. "You remember what happened the last time? I was rough, I hurt you, and I scared you…"

Automatically, Yuuki shook her head and Zero sighed. His jaw was starting to ache dully, indicating his fangs were lengthening. "Just – just give me a few minutes, OK?" he said more gently this time, before going into the bathroom and closing the door. Yuuki heard the shower running a moment later and smiled to herself, thinking that Zero was cooling of his ardour, so she wandered back to the bed and sat there waiting.

When Zero came back out a few minutes later, his breathing still sounded rather fast but he seemed a little more calm.

"You OK now?" Yuuki asked, her eyes searching his face. "Yeah… sorry" Zero stood in front of her a little uncertainly. Yuuki smiled. "Don't be…"

As Zero still stood here, she patted the covers beside her. "Well, sit down then…" To tell the truth, it was – nice - to know they wouldn't be interrupted by their Father this time and Yuuki was looking forward to this session. She found she'd sort of… missed it…

Zero shook his head, then took her hand and pulled her to her feet. He led her to the chair at the study desk. "Here"

Yuuki's eyebrows shot up in surprise, then she remembered the one time she'd sought out Zero in his own room, to force him to drink from her, and how that session had ended up. Obviously, he remembered too…

Zero turned the chair around so that its back faced the mirror attached to the study desk. Without a word, Yuuki sank down onto the chair, straddling it and resting her arms across the back. Her reflection was in the mirror and she would be able to see their images again as Zero drank from her. Her mouth went suddenly dry - Zero wanted her to see them like this? She swung around to face him, auburn hair swinging around her shoulders. "Zero? We're facing the mirror…" Her voice sounded small and a little uncertain.

Zero sat down behind her, his long legs straddling the chair. He shifted forward until his thighs touched her buttocks before catching her gaze through the mirror, his hands resting lightly on her shoulders. "I know" he said softly and a shiver ran through Yuuki at those words. She bit her lip, noticing the glint of his fangs between his lips.

Zero paused. "If you don't mind, that is" he said softly, sensing her uncertainty. Yuuki smiled at the genuine concern in his voice and relaxed against him. "I don't" she said simply. A small smile tilted Zero's lips, then Yuuki turned back to face the mirror. Zero looked up, meeting her reflected gaze once more.

His left hand reached for the opening of her robe on the left side, slowly pulling it away from her neck with one finger. Yuuki stopped breathing. At her shoulder, the material pulled taut, anchored by the tie around her waist. Without missing a beat, Zero pulled the material higher, releasing more of it from the tie, then he pulled it down her arm, exposing one bare shoulder.

"Ooh!" Yuuki's hand clutched the slipping cloth against her left breast as it threatened to expose that as well but Zero's hand closed over hers. "Don't, Yuuki" he whispered against her ear. "Let me see you…"

Mesmerised despite herself, her cheeks burning and her heart thudding in her ears, Yuuki's hand fell back to her lap, as she continued to look into the mirror. The terrycloth folds fell to her elbow and Zero's eyes shifted from her eyes down to her exposed breast. "Beautiful" he whispered before taking her delicate earlobe into his mouth. He sucked at it gently and Yuuki closed her eyes, embarrassed and aroused by the erotic image of Zero sitting behind her, his right arm around her waist, his left hand moving up to cup her left breast.

Zero ran his tongue from her ear, along her jaw line and down to the pulse he could see jumping at the base of her throat. He licked it and Yuuki moaned softly. At the same time, he whisked his thumb over her nipple again and Yuuki squirmed in his arms. "Zero…" she said breathlessly.

"You taste so good" he murmured and Yuuki's eyes fluttered open, seeing the silver head nestled in her neck, his much larger hand over her breast. Her cheeks were brightly flushed and her eyes looked smoky… dazed…

"Are you – are you drinking my blood, or are you trying to – uhm - do something else?" Yuuki demanded breathlessly, trying to sound annoyed but her question came out sounding rather inviting, even suggestive, and she bit her lip.

Zero lifted his head to look into her eyes through the mirror. "Both, I think…" he said, suddenly looking rather unsure.

"Well" Yuuki paused to swallow and lick at her dry lips. "You'd better get started then…" she whispered. Zero dropped tiny kisses onto her collarbone. "On which? The drinking or the 'something else'?" he murmured against her warm skin.

Despite the suggestiveness of how they were seated, pressed close together and despite the fact that Zero's bloodlust was fully aroused, his words suddenly struck Yuuki as funny and an unexpected giggle erupted from her throat, making Zero freeze in surprise.

"What's so funny?" he asked, frowning.

Yuuki shook her head, pressing her lips together. "Nothing, Zero… just drink already!" She gasped a little as Zero's fingers moved again and her head fell back against his shoulder. He ran his tongue ran over her pulse again then she felt the familiar stings in her skin as his fangs pierced her gently.

Zero's hold on her tightened, his arm pulling her back against him, the forefinger and thumb of his other hand playing with her nipple and wringing a moan from Yuuki again. She could hear the low sounds he made as he sucked at her neck, drawing her blood into his mouth and swallowing it - not hastily like in the past… but slower… almost… leisurely… He didn't really have to suck hard; Yuuki's pulse was going triple time, making her blood almost spurt into his mouth. His hair tickled her chin and Yuuki's hand came up to thread through the silver strands, trying hard to ignore what his hand was doing to her.

Zero's senses were tingling. Even as he drank Yuuki's blood, his own was rushing through his veins and pounding in his ears. Yuuki was nestled so close to him and her curves fit perfectly against the harder planes of his body. Ah, he missed holding her like this. He continued to caress her warm breast and her moans filled his ears like sweet music. The way she squirmed against him made Zero harder than ever and unconsciously, his hips pressed forward.

He loved her.

He wanted her.

He needed her.

Yuuki tasted divine. She felt divine, pressed up against him like this. Finally leaving the twin wounds at her neck after pressing his tongue there for a moment, Zero's lips trailed down the creamy skin until he reached her breast, his lips closing over her hardened nipple as he sucked her deep into his mouth once more. Yuuki arched her back and uttered yet another moan, his tongue was driving her crazy. Her right hand reached blindly for the back of the chair, fingers clenching hard on the polished wood as her body trembled against his, her knees weak.

"Zero?" she breathed, aware of his arousal pressing against hers as he rocked slowly against her. Zero paused and stilled his hips before lifting his head. His eyes were not crimson anymore but dark with desire as he looked at her through the mirror, seeing Yuuki's wide eyes and flushed face, his breathing loud in her ear. Then his gaze dropped to her breast and the faint smears of blood his lips had left on her creamy skin, and on her swollen nipple.

Zero mumbled a curse and got up rather hastily, the front of his bathrobe widening scandalously as he did so, almost affording Yuuki a tantalising glimpse of what lay beneath. Perhaps she did see it for her eyes were wider than ever as she swung around to face him, her eyes jerking up to his face, her mouth parted in surprise.

"Sorry" said Zero, his eyes drawn to the red smears on her skin.

Yuuki glanced down, her hands automatically moving to draw the robe over her shoulders. As before, he stopped her. "Wait – come here, Yuuki" he said, his hand closing over hers. Yuuki stood up, taking a moment to balance herself on rather shaky legs and let him pull her into the bathroom. She squeaked in surprise as he placed his hands at her waist and lifted her up to sit on the edge of the vanity counter. "Zero, what are you doing?" she asked.

Zero glanced at her briefly, reaching for one of the neatly folded hand towels in a tray next to the sink and running it under the tap. "Cleaning up, of course…" he said, trying to suppress a small grin without really succeeding.

"Hey, I can do that" Yuuki said, reaching for the cloth once Zero had wrung it out.

"Nope, I will…" Zero held the wet cloth out of her reach.

"You shouldn't!"

"Why not?" It was a moot argument anyway - Zero had already started wiping off the blood from her neck gently. The twin wounds stung a little as he pressed the cloth against it but Yuuki kept silent, looking down as the cloth glided over her skin, wiping away all traces of her blood. "You've seen me so many times already now…" she murmured, for some reason not feeling embarrassed that Zero's eyes were once again fixed upon her exposed curves as he cleaned up.

He glanced up now, his eyes serious. "But never enough" he vowed. There was a pause before he leant forward and touched his lips to hers briefly. "I love you" he added softly.

That soft confession, even though she'd heard it before made Yuuki exhale in wonder and her lips parted. Zero dropped the cloth he was holding and closed his arms around Yuuki, kissing her again. Her hands crept up to his shoulders as she leaned forward into him, into the kiss, squirming in his arms as he stroked her tongue with his.

"Yuuki…" murmured Zero breathlessly. He had sated both kinds of lust but one of them still came back and his shaking hands pulled both sides of her bathrobe open before claiming her curves in his palms. Dear God, she felt so good up close to him, and she tasted so good as well.

Zero nudged up between her knees, parting them. He rubbed his hips against her and Yuuki couldn't think, her fingers clutching tightly on the front of his own robe. They weren't wearing anything under their bathrobes and both robes had started to gape wide open by Zero's movements, making bare skin chafe against bare skin. Making hard and straining flesh stroke against soft and silky skin.

"Zero!" Yuuki's voice was almost a squeak – she was definitely feeling _something _against her thigh now and she didn't even have to look down to know what it was, because it was throbbing palpably.

Zero lifted his head. Yuuki was looking charmingly flushed, her pink lips swollen from his kisses and her bathrobe enchantingly parted. Then he looked down and realised his was as well. Yuuki finally glanced down. "Oh" she said.

There was a silence as they quickly parted and hands urgently tugged bathrobes closed and retied them tightly. "I think you need another cold shower" mumbled Yuuki, not knowing where to look now and distractedly realising that the wet hand towel had landed on the floor next to Zero's bare feet.

Zero saw that too. "I didn't shower earlier" he muttered, half to himself as he bent down to pick up the fallen cloth. He tossed that into the sink and ran his hands through his hair, sighing heavily. Finally, he looked up at Yuuki, still perched on the counter top. She was frowning slightly. "You didn't?" she asked. Oh, that's right, his hair wasn't wet and his skin wasn't cool the way it would be if he'd showered…

"Then what –" she broke off as Zero grimaced, his ears turning pink.

"Oh, you did that?… But – but I heard the shower running earlier…"

Zero slanted her a grim look. "Why do you think?" he countered evenly.

"Ah…" Yuuki's eyes darted away and she suddenly found the set of toiletries on the counter very interesting. Then her head lifted again. "But you still… became… uhm…" she drifted off.

Zero rolled his eyes at Yuuki's continued reluctance to complete her sentences. "Why do you think, Yuuki?" he asked again. "Because I was kissing you. And touching you. And – "

"Oh" mumbled Yuuki as her head lowered again, still blushing furiously. After a moment, Zero's long fingers slipped under her chin and lifted her face to meet his. "You OK?" he asked quietly.

Yuuki nodded quickly. "I'm fine" she said.

"I'm sorry"

"What for?"

Zero blinked. "For – for…" She was right, why was he apologising? He hadn't done anything she didn't really want him to… Yuuki was solemn now, reading the expressions that showed on Zero's normally expressionless face. Then she smiled, a small smile but one that reached her eyes.

"I love you, Zero" she said softly. "I'm sorry I'm still not as sure as you are but… but I think I really do love you." Her words froze Zero to the spot and he stared at her, his heart racing painfully in his chest. She'd said it again. She meant it…

Yuuki's smile grew as she looked at the dawning wonder on Zero's face. He leaned forward to claim her lips again in a soft kiss, his hands staying resolutely on her shoulders this time. When they parted, Yuuki's hand slipped up to cup his cheek as they exchanged a long and silent look.

A knock sounded on their room door outside. "Housekeeping" a female voice said.

Zero closed his eyes and cursed under his breath as Yuuki pushed at his shoulders gently before hopping down lightly from the counter. "That will be our clothes. You do whatever you must… you know…" she flapped a hand at the same time, not able to complete the sentence. Without looking at Zero, she left the bathroom.

Yuuki opened the door and thanked the hotel staff as she took their freshly laundered clothes, neatly wrapped in plastic. From the bathroom, she could heard the shower running again.

They didn't speak anymore on that topic after Yuuki had had her shower and got dressed before checking out of the hotel. Zero ignored the smile Yuuki exchanged with the hotel clerk as he paid for their dinner and laundry bills. He carried the heavy brown envelope under one arm as they went to look for breakfast, both of them somewhat deliberately reverting back to their normal banter, a little shy of what had happened earlier.

Since the train would only leave at four o'clock, Yuuki pulled Zero to explore the town they were in. It was then that Zero remembered he still owed her a shirt from the past All Souls' Day, when he had to tear hers up to bandage the knife wound in his thigh.

Yuuki finally found a pale pink cotton shirt with small ruffles down the front. The colour suited her very well and Zero grinned as Yuuki pecked his cheek enthusiastically while thanking him for the shirt.

They held hands as they walked around after lunch, before catching a movie to while away the time. It was a romance flick which bored Zero but he didn't mind because Yuuki sat beside him, her small hand held securely in his.

On the train, Yuuki soon fell asleep once more against Zero, her hand curled around his arm trustingly. He was quiet as he gazed out unseeingly at the scenery outside the window that flashed past. He knew Yuuki trusted him, no matter what, and he did not take that trust lightly.

But most of all, his thoughts lingered on what she'd said, and a small smile played around his lips as his tender gaze rested from time to time on the sleeping girl beside him.

-- Chapter End --


	43. Chap 19: A Moon Dorm Visit

**Author Notes: **OK! Managed to rush out this chapter on Friday night after all... hope it's up to scratch 'coz it does seem a little... plotless. Anyway, hope you enjoy it! _-bows apologetically just in case-_

I actually wanted to upload this tonight 'coz I'm quite keen to work on the next chapter of No Matter What. And you'll know why after you've read this one! :D

-- Chapter Start --

"Oh, I forgot!" Chairman Cross slapped a hand to his forehead. "I was supposed to pass a copy of the new rules to the Dorm Leaders this afternoon and I forgot about the Night Class – Kaname should have a copy of this too" He waved a sheaf of papers stapled together and sighed, leaning against the doorway of the kitchen.

Yuuki's knife paused in the midst of slicing vegetables, and she looked up at her father at once. Zero scowled into the pot of soup he was stirring on the stove but said nothing.

"I wonder if I've time before my meeting… but no, they've just started their lessons" the older man glanced distractedly at his watch then sighed again – there wasn't time. He glanced at the tall, silver haired boy.

"Zero, would you mind taking -"

"It's OK, Father, I'll do it" volunteered Yuuki at once. "Thanks, Yuuki! said the Chairman happily, blithely ignorant of the fact that his adopted son was now glaring daggers at him.

Yuuki dropped her knife right on top of the sliced greens and quickly snatched the papers out of her Father's hand. She'd noticed Zero's glare of course, but ignored it all the same – he was sometimes just overly protective of her.

Zero's mouth tightened as he continued to stir the contents of the pot – if moods could affect food, that soup probably wasn't worth dishing out now.

Doesn't Father know how dangerous it is for Yuuki to go there? What was he thinking? In fact, what was Yuuki thinking, volunteering like that? Hadn't she already seen Kuran during class changeover an hour ago?

Zero scowled even more as he recalled seeing the tender exchange between Yuuki and the charismatic pureblood leader, ignoring the envious glares from the Day Class girls as they chatted briefly, though not briefly enough for Zero's liking. Yuuki loved _him_, not Kaname…

By this time, the bottom of the pot had become a couple of millimeters thinner no thanks to his forceful stirring.

"Can't it wait?" he asked now. The Chairman glanced absently at Zero as though he barely noticed the belligerent tone in his voice. "No, because the new rules come into effect tomorrow…" he said, with somewhat exaggerated patience.

Yuuki could hear the wildly sloshing contents of the pot even from where she stood and she glanced again at Zero. "It's OK, I can do it" she said quietly. Zero exhaled and let go of the soup ladle, watching it twirl around helplessly in the swirling liquid. He knew Yuuki wouldn't let a golden opportunity like this escape.

"I'll go with you" he said resignedly, knowing there was no way he'd allow Yuuki to go to that _den _of vampires alone without him and his Bloody Rose.

"Thanks, Zero" smiled Yuuki, a little relieved at not having to go alone and rather belatedly realising why Zero wasn't keen for her to go. Besides, there was just something rather… creepy… about the Moon Dorm grounds and she always felt a little… uncomfortable… in the opulent and plush interior of the dorm hall and lounge. Nothing to do the Kaname-sempai of course, he was always unfailingly polite and gentle towards her. And so were the other vampire nobles… in his presence at least.

- o -

By the time they'd finished dinner and clearing up, it was almost time for the lessons to be over for the Night Class students. It appeared that they had a much shorter timetable this week since a couple of their teachers were away.

Yuuki and Zero showered and dressed in T-shirt and jeans. Zero's Bloody Rose gun was tucked into his back pocket underneath his jacket as they set off in the direction of the Moon Dorms, Yuuki clutching the set of rules rather as though she were carrying the first edition of the Ten Commandments.

- o -

As soon as Zero and Yuuki stepped past the ornate gates of the Moon Dorms, the atmosphere seemed to change. The very air they breathed seemed different, even the temperature felt a little cooler. There was just no explanation for it and goose bumps rose on Yuuki's arms while the fine hairs on the back of Zero's neck stood up.

They walked up slowly to the entrance of the building that housed the Night Class students. After Yuuki had explained the purpose of their visit to the dour security watchman (also a vampire), they were admitted inside. Yuuki was relieved – there was something about his penetrating yet vacant stare that made her feel very uncomfortable – the eyes seemed to look _through _her rather than _at _her…

Barely half a minute after waiting in the large and luxuriously appointed living room, Takuma Ichijo came in, having been duly informed by the watchman on the visitors. He seemed a little surprised to find them there but was his usual unfailingly polite and cheerful self.

"Ichijo-sempai!" greeted Yuuki happily. "This is the set of new rules Fa- uh, Chairman Cross was supposed to pass to Kaname-sempai earlier" She stepped forward and proffered the sheaf of papers to Takuma, who took it with the grace of a messenger accepting a proclamation from the King.

"Thank you, Yuuki-chan. So sorry you had to come here personally" Takuma tried but couldn't quite hide the slight lift of his eyebrow – it was actually prohibited for humans to come to the Moon Dorms, even the adopted daughter of the Chairman. And although Yuuki had the moody School Guardian Kiriyu with her, it still didn't make her one hundred percent safe. After all, her blood was the sweetest one on the campus. Probably only Kaname's blood could surpass hers with its sheer irresistible pureblood power…

Zero saw that eyebrow and the concern it implied and his customary scowl deepened. He resisted the urge to scuff at the beautiful carpet he was standing on with the toe of one sneaker. He'd _told _Yuuki not to come, hadn't he? He'd _told _Father not to let her come, hadn't he? Zero had forgotten that actually, he hadn't – it had been a struggle mostly in his mind.

"Well, let's go" he said shortly, pushing up from the wall he'd been leaning on and reaching for Yuuki's arm.

"Oh but…" protested Yuuki immediately. Her wish of catching at least a glimpse of Kaname was transparently clear to both the vampire noble as well as the made one.

"Why don't you both sit down for a moment?" invited Takuma graciously. "I'll pass this to Dorm Leader Kuran and see what he says…" Takuma genuinely wanted to please Yuuki - he knew how she felt about Kaname.

Zero opened his mouth to argue even as Yuuki nodded eagerly and moved forward to sit down on the sofa. Pressing his lips tightly together, Zero leaned back against the wall, arms folded. Takuma nodded at them both, then turned towards the door. He took a step forward, then paused. A few seconds later, Hanabusa Aido strolled in. He attempted a double-take upon seeing them there, which Zero could tell was a fake from a mile away.

"Yuuki-chan… and Kiriyu too! What a pleasant surprise!" he said with his charming smile, unfortunately lost on both its intended audience. He stepped forward to capture Yuuki's hand in his, even though he knew this was precisely what had gotten him into trouble with Kaname the last time.

"Are you here to relieve me of my loneliness, Yuuki?" he murmured as he bent over Yuuki's fingers with faultless grace, making Zero glare at him. "Have you passed my message to Yori?" he breathed in a very soft whisper as he kissed her hand, not wanting the Assistant Dorm Leader to overhear his words.

Unfortunately, that gesture only increased the heat of Zero's glare by at least fifty percent. That presumptuous little…! And after he'd cooked dinner for him and Yori too last Sunday!

Aido flicked a glance at Zero who was glowering at him, then quickly straightened up. He hadn't actually meant to make Kiriyu annoyed… Takuma's eyebrow was significantly higher this time. He had been on the verge of leaving the room to go look for Kaname but with Aido here now…

"Glad you popped in, Aido. Could you please take this to Kaname-sama and let him know that Yuuki-chan and Kiriyu-kun are here?" The request was politely worded but left the young tousle-haired blond in no doubt that it was at the same time, a command given by the Assistant Dorm Leader.

"Eh…? Oh sure, no problem" Aido mumbled, not daring to look at a smirking Zero now. Takuma was looking at the door again, but with an expectant smile on his lips this time. Almost as if on cue, Senri Shiki's head of artfully arranged curls popped around the door and he winked at Takuma, having heard his words. "Aido? I'll go with you…" The brunette vampire placed a graceful hand on Aido's shoulder and guided him out of the room, after directing a wink at Takuma and receiving an appreciative smile in return.

The silence stretched on awkwardly as Yuuki absently rubbed the memory of Aido's kiss off her fingers onto her jeans while both males remained standing. Zero had refused to sit after yet another graciously worded invitation, and good manners, of which Takuma had an abundance of, dictated that he remained standing as well.

There was no sound from outside the living room but Takuma's head suddenly turning towards the door, followed by Zero's body tensing told Yuuki that Kaname was approaching. And in spite of having known him all her (conscious) life, Yuuki was still unable to stop the soft blush appearing on her cheeks.

The charismatic pureblood strolled in, long waves of dark hair spilling over the black silk shirt unbuttoned halfway down his chest. He was flanked by Seiren and Kain. "Yuuki…" Kaname smiled his gentle smile and drew her from the sofa into his arms, holding her against his partly uncovered chest gently.

Zero gritted his teeth and swallowed a growl of almost possessive anger. A moment later, he shook himself mentally, surprised at his own heated reaction. Yuuki's infatuation for Kaname was nothing new to him, neither were the pureblood's tender embraces. After all, Yuuki had known Kaname far longer than she'd known him… so why was he suddenly so inexplicably furious? Yes, Yuuki was infatuated with Kaname but she loved him. Him - Zero Kiriyu.

It had to be the Moon Dorm atmosphere, affecting his mood, being surrounded by vampire nobles and seeing that insufferable Aido trying out his charms on Yuuki again… while dating her best friend, no less.

Kaname looked up at the silver haired vampire and nodded. "Kiriyu-kun" he said with a faint smile that somehow reminded Zero of their previous meeting, just before the holiday break about a month ago. He nodded in turn. "Kuran" He still omitted the 'sempai' honorific but it wasn't a rude greeting… at least not by his standards.

Takuma glanced at his watch and went over to whisper something in Kaname's ear. The pureblood leader nodded immediately and the amiable vampire went out after a courteous nod and smile at Zero and Yuuki.

Kaname must have said something amusing to Yuuki because she was giggling now. Then she remembered Zero and saw how still he was standing. Her heart ached a little as she took a step backwards.

"We have to go, Kaname-sempai…" she said. The pureblood leader nodded. "Be careful, my dear" he murmured as he gave her hands a gentle squeeze before releasing them. He glanced at Zero but the latter ignored him as he strode quickly to the door after a curt nod at everyone in general. He waited for Yuuki to walk past the door before following her out.

As they walked out of the Moon Dorm entrance, Zero allowed himself to relax slightly. It was silly of him to be affected by the opulent surroundings of the Moon Dorms and its noble inhabitants. After all, Yuuki was now walking back to the main building with him… and not with Kuran.

They walked on in silence as they exited the Moon Dorm gates and started on the main cement path leading to the classrooms and the other buildings. Zero inhaled deeply to calm his rather unsettled nerves, catching Yuuki's sweet scent as well. After a moment, he caught Yuuki's hand. "Let's cut across here, it's faster" he muttered. Yuuki glanced at him and didn't protest as she let him pull her off the path and towards a cluster of trees that stood about ten meters away. It was a short cut that would lead directly back to the main building.

Zero slowed down his stride as they reached the trees. He thought he heard the faint murmur of voices coming from the trees. A few moments later, they realised they were not alone.

Two people were standing in the shadows of a large tree and Yuuki jerked to a stop as well, Zero's hand clapped over her mouth. It wasn't necessary – she was speechless in any case. The couple were half hidden in the shadows of the tree but she recognised them anyway –Ichijo-sempai and Shiki-sempai…

The Assistant Dorm Leader was leaning with his back against the tree, his hands lightly clasped around the shorter vampire's neck.

"Your shoot finished so late, you must be tired, Senri. You should be resting now since you have to be up early again tomorrow morning…" murmured Takuma, gazing into his lover's eyes. Then, at the unspoken plea in the crimson depths, he sighed. "Well, just a little then…"

Shiki reached up and burrowed his face in Takuma's neck, making the taller boy moan softly as he felt fangs sink into his flesh. The sound was too soft for Yuuki's ears but Zero heard it and it raised goose bumps all over his body. He let his hand slide from Yuuki's mouth to rest on her shoulder.

Watching the couple in front of them oblivious to anything and anyone else save each other, Yuuki's mouth went dry. Seeing Takuma arch his neck sinuously as he thread his fingers languidly through Senri's artfully arranged curls brought a shiver of déjà vu to Yuuki – sensual images of how she and Zero looked like reflected in her clothes cupboard mirror one time and the hotel room mirror more recently as he drank from her flashed into her mind. Goose bumps erupted all over her skin as well – had they looked as erotic as the young couple in front of them now?

Yuuki had no idea the Assistant Dorm Leader was on such… erm, friendly.. terms with the part time professional model. Then she gulped very softly. Shiki had stopped drinking and after he had lovingly kissed and licked at the rapidly healing puncture wounds made by his fangs, he sought Takuma's parted lips where partially grown fangs could also be seen. The young model's hips, clad in designer jeans, started rubbing against Takuma's in slow, circular movements, making the sandy haired vampire's fingers curl tightly on his lover's shoulders, his moans now audible even to Yuuki. She felt Zero's hand tighten almost painfully on her shoulder. He was remembering the feel of Yuuki's fingers in his hair, sliding through the silvery strands as she held his own head to her neck, the action more telling than words that she didn't mind him taking from her at all. But he hadn't realised how… arousing… the scene could have looked like, to someone else. Even if the two persons he was seeing now were of the same gender.

Long agonising moments later, in which both Yuuki's and Zero's eyes had widened more and more and their breathing had become somewhat erratic as the couple's movements became increasingly erotic, the heated kisses and caresses broke off and after a moment of whispering and a suspicious glance in the general direction of the stunned School Prefects, the two vampires moved away, walking hurriedly but with the innate grace of their race as they disappeared hand in hand back in the direction of the Moon Dorms.

After a long moment of absolute silence, Yuuki let out a long, very shaky breath and heard Zero do the same, his hand falling off her shoulder back to his side. "Wow…" she whispered. Her cheeks had started to heat up from the moment Shiki buried his head in Takuma's neck and it had intensified with each passing second until she seriously thought her cheeks would catch fire if she were to just touch them with her fingers.

"Yeah" muttered Zero, trying to swallow past a dry throat and feeling more unsettled than before. "Come on, let's go" he reached for her hand and tugged her along, fervently hoping they wouldn't meet anyone else from the Night Class. Suddenly, he tensed, hearing someone else coming from the Moon Dorms down the main path behind them. The footsteps were quick and light, as if the person was walking quickly.

"What is it, Zero?"

"Shh!" Zero quickly pulled Yuuki back closer to one of the trees, letting its shadow hide them. By now, Yuuki had heard the steps as well and kept quiet. A petite blond girl dressed in a long sleeved shirt and jeans appeared on the path. Yuuki gasped softly. "Yori?" she breathed.

It was indeed Sayori Wakaba and she appeared upset, dashing her hand across her eyes repeatedly as if she were in tears as she stumbled along the path. Yuuki stepped forward immediately, concerned for her normally calm and collected friend, but Zero's hold on her arm tightened.

"Let me go, Zero!" Yuuki tried to pull her arm out of Zero's grip. "Wait Yuuki - someone else is coming" he murmured softly but urgently. His keen ears had picked up another set of footsteps – someone else was indeed coming down the same path now, moving even faster than Yori.

That person came into view a few seconds later and Yuuki gasped again. It was Hanabusa Aido, whom they'd seen a few minutes ago. He was running after the blond girl now.

"Yori! Please – wait a minute!" they heard the young noble plead before catching up with Yori. He grabbed her arm and swung her around.

"Damnit, Yori, I said wait for me!"

Yori snatched her arm free, placing her hands on her hips. She tossed her head and glared at Aido. "Why?" Her voice was almost tearful but angry.

Zero and Yuuki froze, uncomfortably aware that they were overhearing an argument between Aido and Yori.

Then Zero swore under his breath – Aido was holding onto Yori's arm again and was pulling her towards the trees right where they were standing! Grabbing Yuuki's arm, Zero hauled her back and they hurriedly cut across the clearing where Takuma and Shiki had been earlier, before ducking behind a bush.

"Uh… Zero? Do you think we should see if Yori's OK?" asked Yuuki rather breathlessly. She stopped as Yori's upset voice and Aido's more frantic one floated back to her. Peeping from behind the bush, Yuuki gasped. Her friend, normally so cool, level headed and sensible especially where boys were concerned, appeared to have lost it completely and was hitting Aido-sempai. Actually pummeling him with her fists and kicking him hard with her sneakered feet – she looked absolutely furious.

Yuuki's mouth fell open and she gaped at them, Zero looking over her shoulder. "I think Yori can take care of herself" he said dryly after a while, unable to stop smirking as he saw Aido stoically taking all the blows without appearing to defend himself in any way. Inwardly, he was a little surprised. And more than a little puzzled as well.

"C'mon, let's go…" he murmured, pulling at Yuuki's arm again. She threw another look behind her as they crept away.

Yuuki shook her head slightly as they reached the main building. "Geez – those were two close calls, huh, Zero?" she muttered a little breathlessly from the fast pace Zero had set. "But I wonder what that was all about…" she added, half to herself.

Zero shrugged as he squeezed Yuuki's hand gently. Yuuki returned the squeeze but she promised herself she would go look for Yori tomorrow to find out what had happened.

-- Chapter End --

**A/N:** About the Assistant Dorm Leader and the professional part-time model... well, I was influenced by Crimson Door and Trust Me, two awesome fics from my favourite author **Blackened Wing**. I guess those of you who are familiar with her fics would have grinned at that part, but I do apologise to everyone else for dropping that unexpected scene into Hold Me.


	44. Chap 20: Yuuki's Decision Part 1

**Author Notes: **At long last, the next chapter of Hold Me! Hang on _-checks bio profile-_ it's only been 2 weeks - not that long, right? :D Hope you enjoy it...

Well, this is a multi parter and I will try my best to get the second part uploaded by middle of next week. Don't forget to hop over to my bio profile for more comments.

-- Chapter Start --

Yuuki hummed to herself as she walked back to her room after washing the dinner dishes and straightening up the kitchen. Zero was patrolling the grounds with the Chairman now but would be coming to her room once he had taken his own shower. He had looked paler than usual today and they both knew why that was.

Going over to her clothes cupboard that stood beside her bed, Yuuki opened the door, looking for her pyjamas. She saw the satin yellow pyjama set and reached for it, smiling a little to herself. Zero had recently confessed he liked her wearing this set as it brought back memories of how he had taken from her that one time, in his room.

Yuuki caught sight of her own reflection in the long mirror attached to the inside of the cupboard door and her eyes focused on the two healing puncture wounds at the base of her neck.

Actually… Zero had already taken from her the other day - Sunday night to be exact. Yuuki had seen his bloodlust symptoms as they came back from town, after having dinner with Aido and Yori. A slight frown drew Yuuki's delicate brows together. Zero had drunk more than he normally did too… so he shouldn't need to drink her blood again so soon, right? It was only Thursday, after all.

Shrugging to herself, Yuuki grabbed her towel before going to take her shower. Well, it wasn't as if she _minded _another session with Zero… A smile of anticipation appeared on her lips this time.

- o -

Zero shoved his hands in his trouser pockets. He could feel his slightly grown fangs pressing against his bottom lip, and he didn't like it. Because he had already taken from Yuuki that day. He shouldn't need to feed again from her so soon but there was no mistaking the by now familiar pangs of his bloodlust.

"Are you OK, Zero?" asked the Chairman quietly as they walked back up to the main building. Zero glanced sideways at him. "I'm fine" he muttered. As the two of them walked into the living room, the older man put out an arm to halt the younger. "Wait a moment…" Chairman Cross' surprisingly shrewd eyes saw the glint of fangs as well.

"You need to feed again?" he asked. There was no accusation in his tone, no indication at all that this was in any way abnormal or disgusting, and that made it easier for Zero to look at him. "Yeah"

Chairman Cross looked like he wanted to say something but he thought better of it. He gave Zero's arm a quick squeeze. "I know you won't take too much from Yuuki. Then both of you go to bed… Good night"

He turned away then swung back a moment later. "Not the same bed, mind you…" he added, causing Zero to press his lips tightly. "_Yes_, Father" he said in an exaggerated tone this time.

The older man resisted the urge to chuckle at his own little joke as he went on towards his room. Zero found himself staring at his back. What had his Father wanted to say earlier? Had he wanted to offer his own blood? It was strange – that thought would have disgusted him at one time, but now, he was merely touched. Shaking his head, Zero went off to his room to grab his towel to take his own shower.

- o -

Fifteen minutes later, he was dressed in his pyjamas and knocking lightly on Yuuki's bedroom door. Yes, he'd have to be sure to take less this time, otherwise Yuuki could be weakened. His lips pressed tighter at this thought, because even though he knew she wouldn't really mind, he did. Even now. Especially now.

"Come in, Zero"

His heart warming at the smile he could hear in that soft voice, Zero relaxed a little as he turned the doorknob and stepped into her room. Yuuki was sitting cross legged on her bed, smiling at him. Zero returned the smile, his eyes roving over the enchanting picture she made, dressed in _that _pyjamas set. His favourite.

"Hey" he said softly, walking over to her.

"Hey" Yuuki returned just as softly, her eyes glowing, soft colour shading her cheeks. Despite his discomfort, Zero was awed all over again. Why was it that this amazing, loving and generous girl was never afraid of him? Not even when his eyes were turning crimson like now, not even when his fangs were showing between his lips? And even more amazing - not only was she unafraid, she loved him too. Zero's breath caught in his throat – how had he _ever _gotten so lucky? And when he thought he had nothing to look forward to…

Zero sat down beside Yuuki on her left, and bent down to brush his lips against her soft cheek. "Sorry, I know I already –"

Yuuki's slender fingers against his lips stopped him. "Will you stop saying that?" she chided. Her other hand crept up and she cupped his face with both her small hands, looking into his eyes. "Never say that, Zero" she said softly. "Because I don't mind. Really. And I love you. Truly."

Zero's heart constricted. Had he ever told her how much he not only loved her but appreciated her? He settled for kissing her lightly on the lips, silently promising both of them that he'd give her a more thorough one after sating his bloodlust. "I love you, Yuuki… always" he vowed.

Yuuki smiled, her hands dropping to her shirt button. "Let's do it…" she whispered. Zero's larger hands closed over them immediately, even as he continued looking into her eyes. "Allow me" he murmured.

Yuuki smiled again and nodded, half shy, half eager. They both knew she wasn't wearing anything underneath. They both knew he was going to touch her again. And they both knew she wouldn't mind that either…

Zero placed Yuuki's hands back on her lap. His breathing sounded loud… irregular… in the otherwise silent room as he slipped the first two buttons free. Then he saw the healing puncture marks at her neck and paused.

"Zero? What is it?" asked Yuuki after a long moment - Zero was staring at her neck as if transfixed. He started a little and looked at her, guilt written in the crimson depths of his eyes. "I shouldn't be this hungry now, Yuuki" he said, frowning a little. "I don't know why…"

A smile trembled on her lips, even though she'd thought the same thing earlier. "It's OK, Zero, it's OK" she soothed. "I can spare more…"

Zero swallowed. He hated to bite Yuuki again even before her previous wounds had healed, it reminded him too much of what he was. But he was already staring fixedly at her slender pale throat, where the pulse was beating under the delicate skin, faster than normal now.

Zero twisted aside suddenly. No… he couldn't take from her neck again so soon. He snatched up her right hand instead. "Here" he muttered, his voice gasping a little.

Yuuki opened her mouth to protest – she was wearing the pyjamas she knew he liked best after all – but before she could say a word, Zero ran his tongue over the delicate skin of her inner wrist and a moment later, his fangs sank into her flesh. It made her wince – it always seemed to hurt more than her neck. And she actually preferred him to take from there too, so that he could hold her close at the same time. But well… at least he'd get to 'clean' her fingers, right? That was fun, too…

Yuuki shifted closer to Zero, resting her left cheek against his upper right arm as he sucked at her wrist, his eyes closed in bliss. Yuuki's intoxicatingly sweet blood was in his mouth again, teasing his bloodlust and he swallowed it hungrily. The first mouthful… the second… and third… But somehow, it still wasn't satisfying enough. He sucked harder, almost painfully so, but the flow couldn't fill his mouth fast enough and instinctively, his fangs sank in deeper.

Yuuki gasped a little, her eyes watering with pain even though she kept her arm limp. "Zero" she breathed.

More blood flowed from Yuuki's wrist now but it still wasn't enough and Zero shuddered from his bloodlust, the pangs seemed to increase instead of getting less… A low growl escaped his throat and he pulled his fangs from her wrist, unaccountably frustrated. Yuuki's breath caught in her throat when she saw that Zero's eyes were still crimson even though they shouldn't be anymore.

"Yuuki" Zero groaned as he licked at the blood on her skin. His fangs were still extended, his chest heaving as he looked at her. Then his gaze slipped lower, again focusing on her neck. "I still… need…" he broke off and shuddered again, one hand clutching at his shirt.

The next second, he had lunged at Yuuki, burying his head in her neck, his hands grasping her upper arms to pull her closer, his chin automatically nudging her shirt collar out of the way.

"Zero!" gasped Yuuki, taken by surprise. She gasped as his fangs sank into her neck and he sucked hungrily again and more desperately than before. For some reason, that made Yuuki's eyes fill with tears. Not for herself but because she could feel Zero was hurting inside. Hurting that he was doing this to her. She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms tightly around Zero, feeling the trembling in his body that echoed the one in hers.

- o -

"I'm sorry, Yuuki" Zero said, his voice thick with remorse. He rested his chin on her head as he held her against his chest, rocking her slightly. "I scared you, I'm sorry…"

Yuuki sniffled, her face buried in his pyjama shirt front. "Don't - it's OK" she whispered. Her hands were clenched in his pyjama shirt front but her fingers still trembled. Her whole body was shaking with reaction as the past few minutes played again in her mind.

Zero had taken a lot this time. His fangs had sunk in deeply and he seemed… unaware… of what he was doing, crushing Yuuki tightly to him as he slaked his desperate hunger at her neck. It hurt this time. A lot. And for some reason, Yuuki was scared. She didn't know why, but there was something different in the way he drank from her this time. She couldn't understand it. And after a couple of minutes, Yuuki felt herself growing light headed since he had already drunk from her wrist earlier. "Zero" she said finally. "Please stop, that's enough…"

Only Zero hadn't stopped. He hadn't even heard her words.

"Zero… please stop now…"

Zero didn't know how her pleas had finally managed to penetrate his blood washed senses but he saw the tears trickling down her face the moment he wrenched his face away from her bleeding neck.

Yuuki was silently crying, and had been for some time.

"Why didn't you stop me, Yuuki?" Zero asked, his heart still pounding with fear and guilt. "Why didn't you hit me? Or – or use your bracelet on me?"

Yuuki heard the fear in his voice that he tried to mask and she lifted her tear stained face to his. "That's a last resort, Zero" she said, trying to smile. She hadn't forgotten about her charm bracelet and the power it contained inside. But she could still remember the look in Zero's eyes after he had come to his senses and realised he had ripped it off her wrist in the bathroom that fateful day… He would hate himself even more if she had actually used it to stop him.

Zero's eyes were moist as well as they stared at each other. Then he swallowed and released her, letting his hands resting on her shoulders instead. "Yuuki"

Yuuki stopped breathing. Somehow, she knew what Zero was going to say, and she didn't want to hear it. Not now. Not ever. "No, Zero, no, don't say it" she said softly.

Zero shook his head.

"Please" whispered Yuuki, her eyes huge and filled with pain.

"Even if I don't say it, Yuuki, you know it's true" Zero voice was steady and his face was calm now. He had to be, for both their sakes.

Yuuki shook her head. "No, Zero" she said. "I won't let you…"

Zero's smile was sad as he reached out and tucked her shiny auburn hair behind one delicately shaped ear. "Yuuki… dearest, you can't stop this. Anymore than I can"

Yuuki shook her head again, then she gave a sob before throwing her arms around him again. "It's not fair" she sobbed. "It's _not fair_"

Zero bit his lip, squeezing his eyes shut again as his arms closed convulsively around Yuuki's shaking frame. Yes, it wasn't fair. Life wasn't fair. Just when he thought he had something in his life to actually look forward to, it looked like his descent into madness had finally begun.

- o -

Yori's green eyes widened as she saw her friend the next morning. Yuuki looked pale and her eyelids were puffy as if she'd been crying all night.

"Yuuki-chan? Are you all right?" she asked.

Yuuki looked at her but did not seem to hear her.

Yori grabbed her arm and shook it. "Yuuki-chan! Are you OK?" she asked again.

The other girl blinked, seeming to see Yori for the first time. "Oh, it's you, Yori-chan… I'm fine" she said in a monotone. She shook off her friend's hand and walked on to class, as if in a dream.

Yori looked at her and turned around, looking for Zero. Perhaps he would know what was wrong with Yuuki this morning. But the tall, silver haired prefect was nowhere to be found.

- o -

It was only the next day that Yori finally managed to get Yuuki to tell her what happened.

"Are you sure?" asked the blond girl anxiously. Yuuki pushed her food around listlessly as she nodded.

"Then you should at least eat more, Yuuki-chan" she advised, her heart aching for her friend. "Don't make him feel worse by looking so… pale…"

Yuuki smiled wanly at that. "You mean I look terrible" she said with a ghost of her former cheerful smile.

Yori frowned at her own half eaten lunch. "If – if Zero-kun needs more blood -" she began tentatively. Yuuki smiled and shook her head. "Thanks, Yori-chan. But you have Aido to consider now. And Father is available too, you know. We – we'll be OK" She sounded like she was reassuring herself more than Yori.

Yori nodded reluctantly, her heart aching for her friend. Yuuki looked so different from the happy, bubbly girl who'd gone double dating with her last Sunday…

- o -

A week has passed since that night. The Chairman got to know about Zero's increasing need for blood last Sunday, during dinner. It was hard not to notice, since it was pretty obvious by now that both his children were miserable again. At least they were still talking to each other… And this time, Chairman Cross put his foot down, insisting that Zero took from him as well, if only to give Yuuki a rest. His adopted son agreed immediately, if not enthusiastically, even as Yuuki protested.

After dinner, she had insisted on watching and the whole thing had taken place in the Chairman's study, on the leather sofa he kept there, in fact. Zero was wondering whether his Father would offer his neck this time and was surprised when the older man didn't remove his ever present scarf but bared his wrist instead. It was awkward enough just taking from the Chairman and Zero thought it would be worse with Yuuki witnessing it.

But surprisingly, it wasn't. Having Yuuki there with him somehow made Zero feel better. Perhaps it was because she'd stood beside him with her arm around his shoulder the whole time, and he could the warmth of her body against his arm. But it hadn't felt as bad as he thought it would. And Zero was glad he managed to stop himself even before being prompted by the Chairman.

But it was Thursday night again, and the hunger was back. And Yuuki knew it too. She had been giving him pointed looks during dinner which meant she was determined to have Zero take from her again tonight.

Zero's lips twisted ruefully. Sometimes, he wished Yuuki wasn't quite so determined where he or his bloodlust was concerned…

- o -

Yuuki was sitting in the living room, waiting for Zero. Even though she knew he would come back after his patrol, she couldn't stop a surge of relief once she actually saw him walking up the path.

In the past couple of months, she'd practically forgotten about the threat of Zero falling to Level E. And now, she couldn't stop thinking about it. It wouldn't happen immediately, of course, but a sudden and increase need for blood was definitely one of the symptoms. And in the past week, there was now a shadow between them, one they'd managed to ignore before, but not now.

Yuuki didn't tell Zero of her dreams of a bleak future without Zero in it, the surprisingly caring person who had been by her side everyday for the past four or five years now and had slowly taken over her heart, even though it still belonged to someone else. Zero, of course, didn't dare to tell Yuuki of his recurrent dreams that hadn't happened in a while, where in his madness, he would hurt, drain and perhaps even kill the girl he loved more than anyone else in the whole world.

"Yuuki" Zero's voice was soft as he stepped through the door. He wasn't surprised to see her waiting for him.

"Zero" Yuuki stood up and hurried over to him. Ignoring the changing colour in his eyes, she threw her arms around him, holding him tightly.

"Hey" Zero gently removed her arms. "I'm still here, Yuuki" he forced a teasing note into his voice.

"I know" she whispered. _For now…_

- o -

Once again, Zero rested his chin on the top of Yuuki's head. He'd taken a lot from her this time as well and he could tell she was weakened.

"Are you OK, Yuuki?" he asked softly, guilt colouring his voice again. He felt her head nod against his shoulder. "I'm fine, Zero, don't worry…"

But when Yuuki moved off his lap to stand up, she swayed, her eyes closing and Zero kept his hands on her upper arms, alarmed. "Yuuki?" he asked, shaking her a little. Her face was very pale and she didn't answer. Zero shook her again. "Yuuki?" he said urgently, panic starting to lace his voice now.

Yuuki's eyelids were so heavy but she forced them open because Zero sounded frightened. "I'm fine… Zero…" she said sleepily. "Don't –" She was so tired, so sleepy…

Zero's heart leapt into his throat as Yuuki's eyes closed and her body slackened in his grip. Quickly, he swung her up into his arms and placed her back on the bed. She looked so pale… Zero checked her pulse - it seemed weak to him and he jammed the knuckles of his clenched fist against his teeth. _Crap… this was not good._

Whirling around, he made for the door and strode quickly, almost running all the way to the Chairman's study. He rapped sharply on the heavy wooden door. "Father!"

A moment of silence passed before he heard the Chairman's voice.

"What – come in, Zero…"

Zero burst into the room, belatedly realising his adopted Father was not alone in his study. And even more belatedly realising that his late night visitor was none other than Dorm Leader and pureblood Kaname Kuran.

Chairman Cross stood up from his chair behind his desk. "What happened?" he asked, his keen eyes taking in the agitated look on Zero's face.

Kaname had stood up as well. "Yuuki's blood" he observed quietly, having caught the scent from Zero. He took in the anguish in the tortured pair of amethyst eyes as Chairman Cross quickly skirted his desk and approached Zero. "Yuuki? Is she all right?" he asked quickly.

Zero's gaze was haunted as he shook his head. "She fainted" he mumbled. "I – I took too much…" he whispered. He caught the startled look on his Father's face the same time he heard the snarl as Kaname bared his fangs – then the pureblood was gone from the room, the Chairman hurrying after him. Zero trailed after them, his heart a heavy and aching weight in his chest.

Well, he or Yuuki wouldn't need to pull the trigger now - he knew Kaname would be more than glad to do it.

The pureblood was sitting on Yuuki's bed, gently examining her neck when Zero stopped by her room door and looked in. Chairman Cross was hovering nearby, exclaiming over her pallor. Rather belatedly, Zero realised he'd also forgotten to button up the first two buttons of Yuuki's pyjama top and he flushed in spite of himself. No, he didn't deserve Yuuki after all. No matter what he thought. No matter what she thought.

Both the men at Yuuki's bed spoke softly to each other but Zero caught every word.

"Kaname-kun, will she – will she need a transfusion?"

"No. Yuuki will be fine. But she will need plenty of rest while her body replenishes itself"

"Of course, I will inform the teachers immediately"

_Yuuki will be OK… he hadn't drained her completely… Yuuki will be fine… _

Zero's knees felt weak and he sagged against the door in relief.

- o -

"Zero, there you are…"

The silver haired prefect was sitting at the kitchen table, hunched over, fingers clenched tight. He didn't look up when he heard his Father's voice. He supposed he'd been waiting for both the Chairman and Kaname to come looking for him. No point making it difficult when he was already as guilty as sin.

Kaname was behind the Chairman and he looked at the boy sitting at the kitchen table. He couldn't fail to notice how worried Yuuki seemed to be this past week, even though she'd managed to evade his gentle questions. Kiriyu had looked different too - there was a bleakness in the amethyst eyes that he hadn't seen for a while. Altogether, there was a shared misery between the two School Prefects now. It wasn't like the week after his birthday when they'd ceased speaking to each other. It was as if something had happened but it was shared between them. There was a sort of… desperate hopelessness in Yuuki's wide eyes now whenever they rested on Zero Kiriyu, which was more often than ever. And although Kaname had had his suspicions, the Chairman had finally confirmed them a few minutes ago.

Chairman Cross laid a hand on Zero's shoulder and squeezed it briefly. "Yuuki will be OK, Zero. Don't worry too much" Zero nodded but kept silent. The older man exchanged a silent look with the pureblood, then went out of the kitchen to go back to Yuuki.

"Kiriyu-kun"

Zero knew the pureblood was still there, but he ignored him. He wasn't in the mood for an argument or a confrontation now… because suddenly it didn't matter anymore. He and Yuuki could wish with all their hearts but… the end would still come. Zero had deluded himself into thinking that it could all work out because he could take from the Chairman and Yuuki in turn, even though that only made him deeper in their debts than ever before. But it still wouldn't be enough to stop his eventual decline into Level E.

And he had still hurt Yuuki in the end. The ever present ache in Zero's chest intensified now, threatening to cut off his breathing.

"Kiriyu-kun, look at me" Kaname's voice was soft but utterly compelling.

Slowly, unwillingly, Zero lifted his head and opened his eyes, letting his gaze meet the pureblood's. He didn't bother to mask the emotions on his face now. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't.

The dark eyes looked at him silently but surprisingly, Kaname's voice was soft and the initial anger on his face has disappeared. "Kiriyu-kun, Yuuki will be all right. She's weak but she will recover."

_Why was Kaname comforting him like this?_

Don't… do anything rash. Not now."

_Why wasn't Kaname killing him now?_

Zero stared at him. "You know" he finally replied, his voice hardly above a whisper. Yes, of course Kuran would know. He was a pureblood - he knew everything. Zero tried to smirk but it was only a meaningless twist of his lips now. "You told me last time, that sometimes, we hurt the ones we love, even though it is the last thing we intended" His voice quivered a little and he swallowed. "Well, you're right, Kuran. I will. Soon…" His gaze slid away and blinked rapidly as tears started blurring his vision. _Make sure you protect and cherish her always…_

Again, the dark eyes regarded him silently. Where was the angsty, angry prefect now? Where was that rude 'to hell with it' attitude that Kiriyu had honed to a fine art, that he continually displayed in front of him and the other Night Class students? All of it had disappeared, leaving behind this vulnerable boy who looked like nothing in life mattered anymore.

Kaname saw the fear and the resignation in Zero's face that Yuuki would soon be alone, save for himself and the Chairman. He knew how Zero felt about Yuuki too, and a faint smile appeared on Kaname's face. "No, Kiriyu-kun"

Zero swallowed again. Was Kaname actually trying to comfort him now? Why? It didn't make any sense…

"Promise me that you won't do anything stupid." Kaname's voice was harder now, compelling. And his meaning was crystal clear to both of them. He was telling Zero not to end his life because they both knew how it would devastate Yuuki.

Zero found himself staring at the pureblood again, mesmerised. The stern look softened. "For Yuuki. For her sake" Kaname murmured as he took a step closer. Zero wondered if he were dreaming - the pureblood was as close to pleading as he had ever seen him.

There was a long moment of silence as they looked at each other. There was a world of things unsaid but somehow, they both understood. Everything they thought, or said, planned, or did… everything was for Yuuki. No one else.

Then the hunched shoulders drew back as Zero stood up. "I won't" he promised. "I'll still be around" he added, his voice surer now... confident.

Again, that faint smile graced Kaname's perfect features. "Good night, Kiriyu-kun" he murmured, inclining his head. Zero stared at him a moment longer before returning the nod and the pureblood turned around, walking gracefully out of the kitchen.

Zero exhaled and sank back down onto his seat, resting his head on his hands as he closed his eyes wearily.

_I don't know how much longer I can hold on, Yuuki. But if this is really what you want… if I am really what you want, then I promise you I'll try._

-- To Be Continued --


	45. Chap 20: Yuuki's Decision Part 2

**Author Notes: **Part 2, uploaded sooner than expected. I hope to get the next part out by this Friday. Enjoy...

-- Continued --

Back at the Moon Dorms, Kaname nodded absently at the security watchman's respectful greeting. It was midnight and the Night Class lessons would be finishing up soon but for now, the building was quiet, except for the unobtrusive cleaning staff who went about their work with quiet efficiency.

Kaname went upstairs to his own room. He shrugged off his white uniform jacket and tossed it on the back of the nearest chair before walking over slowly to stand in front of the curtained French windows. Closing his eyes a little wearily, the pureblood relived the past couple of hours.

It was almost too coincidental but when he went to Chairman Cross' study earlier to discuss the possibility of introducing more interesting subjects for the Night Class, he'd seen the heavy brown envelope on the Headmaster's side table. Kaname had recognised it at once, of course, and he suspected the older man would bring up that subject again once they had finished their discussion.

But even before the topic of new subjects had been satisfactorily dealt with, he'd heard urgent footsteps approaching and an even more urgent knock at the door.

Zero Kiriyu. Dressed for sleep but had be been sleeping? No. He had been gorging himself on Yuuki's blood. Despite having cooled down earlier, Kaname's lips drew back in another silent snarl as needle sharp fangs lengthened again. He'd smelled Yuuki's blood even before Zero opened the door but to actually _see _it on that ex-human's lips…

Kaname had gone immediately to Yuuki's room, to see how she was – _that _was of the utmost importance. Otherwise, there was no doubt at all that Chairman Cross would have to call someone in to repair his study tomorrow, not to mention cleaning off any spilled blood that would definitely have come from one very bruised and battered Zero Kiriyu.

_If he was still alive._

Kaname's dark aura swirled around him now, causing the glass panes in the French windows to rattle. He inhaled deeply... slowly... willing himself to calm down and after a few moments, the aura dissipated and the panes remained intact.

No... the pureblood didn't need anyone to tell him Zero hadn't deliberately drained Yuuki. Despite the ex-human's constant expressionless face, anger and moodiness, anyone who cared to look at him couldn't have failed to see, especially in recent months, that Zero Kiriyu was completely and irrevocably in love with Yuuki Cross.

A faint frown appeared between Kaname's brows now. He knew the silver haired prefect was very fond of Yuuki, he knew he would give his life for her, and who could help but love her especially after knowing her for four to five years now… but when exactly had that fondness turned to love? And not the platonic and protective love of an older brother towards his adopted younger sister, but a romantic and equally protective love… that even the stoic and angsty prefect could not hide sometimes when his gaze rested on Yuuki.

And Yuuki… his Yuuki… Kaname knew she loved Zero too. And he also knew it was no longer the adoring and platonic love a sister had for her adopted older brother but a deep love for a boy she no longer regarded as a sibling.

Yes… even that was apparent. And it was only because of her of course, that Kaname didn't go back to tear Kiriyu apart – the person he thought he could count on to be Yuuki's 'shield' had turned out to be the very person who put her in danger. A beast in the guise of a brother and would be lover.

Kaname sighed, remembering the brief conversation he had with Yuuki. She had awakened as he tenderly wiped away the faint traces of bloodstains at her neck with a dampened washcloth. The sweet scent of her blood teased his senses as usual but the instinctive urge of his race was tamped down by the lingering concern, worry and seething anger still swirling inside of him.

"Ka-Kaname-sempai?" Yuuki's voice was soft… weak… and Kaname dropped the washcloth on the floor. "Yes, Yuuki, I am here" he murmured, long and elegant fingers gently combing the auburn strands off her forehead before his knuckles glided down her cheek.

"Yuuki, my dear child, you fainted. Are you OK?" Yuuki's eyes which had been focusing on Kaname, shifted and she saw her Father as well, deep lines of worry etched on his face.

She'd fainted? Yes… she remembered feeling tired and dizzy… Zero must have caught her. Zero… oh no, where was he now?

Yuuki knew how Zero felt about taking too much from her, and of his nightmares that he would turn into a monster and drain her one day. He would no doubt be consumed with guilt now. She must tell him that it was OK, that she didn't blame him for this…

"I'm fine" Yuuki waved away her Father's concern. "Zero - where is he?" She struggled up onto one elbow, only to have Kaname push her back onto her pillows again. "Shh, don't get up, Yuuki" he said.

"Zero - I must see him. Now!"

Kaname shook his head. Gently but implacably. "You need to rest, Yuuki" He kept his hands on her shoulders, his hold just as gentle as his voice and just as immovable.

Yuuki shook her head. "I must! You don't understand, Zero will hate himself. Please, I must see him!" Tears of concern filled her eyes. _Where was Zero? Where was he now?_

Kaname didn't say anything and Yuuki's heart constricted suddenly. "Ka-Kaname-sempai? You haven't – you haven't… Zero is…" Oh God, how long had she been unconscious? She could see the barely checked anger in Kaname's eyes and face. Had he hurt Zero because of this? Had he? A tear slipped down her cheek and Yuuki stifled a sob. But the pureblood's face softened immediately.

"Kiriyu-kun is still alive, my dear. I – I have not touched him…" Y_et_. But it hurt to think that the only reason Yuuki think of, to explain why Zero was not with them now, was because he might have hurt the ex-human, even if he had wanted to.

Yuuki stilled for a moment, immensely relieved, and Kaname removed his hands from her shoulders. Then her hand shot out and gripped Kaname's fingers. "Kaname-sempai - please… please don't hurt Zero. This is not his fault…"

The dark eyes flashed with sudden anger and pain as Kaname almost growled. "Not _his _fault, Yuuki? How can you say that? Isn't this his doing?" In stark contrast to his angry words, gentle fingertips touched the deep puncture wounds at her neck. "And this? Didn't he do this as well?" he demanded angrily, his fingers sliding down to indicate Yuuki's half buttoned top.

"Ooh…!" Yuuki blushed painfully even as she tried to rectify her half dressed state. Exhaling, Kaname shook his head and pushed her fumbling fingers aside before completing the task silently and efficiently. At that point, the Chairman suddenly became extraordinarily interested in a half finished sketch on Yuuki's desk.

"I – uh" Yuuki's cheeks were still on fire. "Please, Kaname-sempai, tell him it's OK. You _must _tell him not to feel guilty… or – or do anything rash. Please, Kaname-sempai… I – I'm begging you!"

She had talked too much - Yuuki slumped back against her pillows, exhausted, softly panting, but it was important that someone find Zero and reassure him. "Please…" she whispered imploringly, another tear slipping down her pale cheek, her fingers still gripping Kaname's hand tightly.

"Yuuki" there was deep pain in the low voice and in the perfect features of Kaname Kuran. "Please don't – don't beg. You never have to beg, my dear, you know I will do anything you ask" The pureblood sighed, his eyes closing as he dipped his head for a moment. Then he bent down and brushed a soft kiss on Yuuki's forehead before straightening up again.

"I will go look for Kiriyu-kun and tell him you are going to be all right, OK?" Kaname smiled reassuringly at Yuuki but what he stated was as much for her benefit as for the Chairman's. After all, he knew the older man cared for the boy too.

Yuuki held Kaname's gaze, still not letting go of his hand. "And not to do anything foolish, Kaname-sempai. Tell Zero that, too, please…"

Kaname's eyes closed briefly. _Kiriyu… all this love... are you worthy of it? Are you worthy of her? _He sighed silently again before echoing her words. Only then, did Yuuki finally relinquish her hold on his hand. "Rest now, Yuuki" urged the pureblood softly. "You need a good, long sleep…" Yuuki looked into his eyes, hypnotised, and felt herself falling again… falling into soothing darkness as sleep claimed her.

Back in his room, Kaname turned away from the windows. Yes, he knew things would have to change soon and it looked like the time had finally come.

- o -

Bright sunlight streamed in at the windows. Yuuki awoke slowly, feeling warm and sleepy. She felt like she'd been asleep for ages, but could have slept for another day, at least. Slowly, reluctantly, her eyes blinked open. It was already morning and her room was bright. Oh, goodness, was she late for classes again? Where was Father? And Zero? Why didn't anyone wake her?

Already lying on her right side, Yuuki tilted her head to look at the clock on her night stand – ten o'clock?! Feeling more wide awake now but with a strange lethargy in her limbs, she struggled up onto her right elbow then paused. Zero was soundly asleep next to her – he was sitting cross legged on the floor, and his head was pillowed on his arms which were resting on her bed. Yuuki frowned. Had he been here all night? Was he late for classes too?

"Zero?" Yuuki shook his shoulder a little. "Wake up, we're late!"

Zero's head lifted and he stifled a groan as the back of his neck protested. He felt like he'd only just fallen asleep. Then he realised where he was and his eyes snapped open as he sat up straighter, ignoring the crick in his neck.

"Yuuki! Are you OK?" he asked quickly, reaching for her right hand.

Yuuki frowned. "Of course I'm OK" she replied. Quickly, she sat up then groaned, clutching at her head. "Uhm, actually, I feel a bit dizzy" she murmured.

Zero got up on his knees and pushed gently at her shoulders. "Don't get up, Yuuki" he said. "Lie down…" Yuuki obeyed, frowning a little at the words and action which seemed somehow familiar. She was staring at Zero but he was holding her hand now and looking down at it. After a moment, he looked at her and she saw the guilt in his amethyst eyes.

"You're not late for class, Yuuki" he said. That made her frown even more. "Why not?"

"Because you don't have to go to classes the whole of this week"

"Why not? What about you?"

"It doesn't matter whether I go or not…"

"What? Why?"

Zero exhaled, glancing away as he sat back down on the floor. "Because I almost drained you last night, Yuuki. I took a lot, more than I should. And you – you fainted" he said evenly, his voice devoid of expression. Then he looked at her again and the mask dropped, showing eyes now shadowed with guilt and pain. "You fainted last night, Yuuki… right – right in my arms" he finished, his voice shaking. Zero swallowed and dropped his head onto their joined hands, his entire body trembling with reaction.

Yuuki stared at the head of silver hair, feeling the silky strands that fell over Zero's forehead brushing her fingers as last night's memories came flooding back. So that's why she was feeling so lethargic this morning, as if she didn't quite have any energy. Yes, she remembered Zero sucking and drinking her blood, and the room swaying when she tried to stand up after that.

The next thing she remembered was waking up to see Kaname-sempai's face looking down at her, his eyes burning with concern, his face pale and tense. Her Father was deeply concerned too, looking as if it was taking all he had not to break down in front of her and smother her in one of his hugs.

But her mind seemed refreshed now. Yes… Kaname had done that just before he'd left her. He said she needed a good long sleep and she had. For the first time in the past week or so, Yuuki's sleep had been devoid of disturbing dreams.

Kaname had done other things too… cleaned her neck, for one… and buttoned up her shirt, for another. Yuuki's hand crept up to the neckline of her pyjama top, flushing again. What must Kaname have thought of her, allowing Zero to half strip her like that? Her flush intensified. And it hadn't happened this time, but Zero had also done a lot more than just half stripped her at other times. He'd touched her as well. Intimately. And not just touched or - or caressed, he'd also kissed...

Yuuki gave her head a little shake, ignoring the wave of dizziness that accompanied it as well as her deepening flush. No… don't think of that now.

Her first thoughts upon waking up had been of Zero. She remembered clutching at Kaname's hand. Because the moment he realised she was all right, she had seen the fierce anger flaring up in his usually gentle face. And she knew who that dark anger was directed at. But he'd finally promised her last night, not to harm Zero and to ensure Zero did not harm himself either. Yuuki shivered involuntarily at the thought. But Kaname had kept his promise, because Zero was still here.

Her heart suddenly aching, Yuuki rose up on her elbow again, her left hand slowly threading through the silver hair in front of her. Slowly, Zero's head lifted and the tortured eyes dared to look at her again. "It's not your fault, Zero" she said softly. "Please believe me, it's not…"

He shook his head. "How could it not be?" he asked, his voice low. Unsteady.

"It's not. I told Kaname-sempai and Father the same thing last night" Yuuki insisted. Zero's eyes widened even as he reached for her left hand. "You did?" he asked, bringing her hand up to his lips. _Was that why Kaname didn't kill him last night?_

A smile trembled on Yuuki's lips as Zero pressed a soft kiss onto each of her fingertips. "It's OK, Zero. Kaname-sempai knows now…" Her gaze met Zero's as he looked up, and his breath caught in his throat. "Yuuki…" he said huskily. _Yes, Yuuki was all right. He hadn't drained her. And she didn't hate him. Perhaps - perhaps… he could allow himself to feel a little better. For now..._

Without breaking her gaze, or letting go of her hand, Zero stood up slowly, settling down beside Yuuki on her bed, his eyes focusing on the small smile that trembled on her lips.

"Zero" she breathed.

"Dearest…" He bent closer to her, and Yuuki's wide brown eyes fluttered close.

"Well!" The Chairman bustled into the room, carrying a tray and beaming happily. He didn't seem surprised at the fact that Zero was in Yuuki's room, nor the fact that both his children were sitting on the bed and very close to each other as well. "Both of you are awake now, that's good!"

Zero uttered a heartfelt sigh as he stood up, squeezing Yuuki's hand briefly. The Chairman appeared not to notice as he placed the tray on Yuuki's desk. "Zero… you're late for class"

"I'm going" Zero took the opportunity to quickly bend down and kiss Yuuki. "You are to do nothing but eat and rest in bed today, you hear? I'll see you this evening" he murmured against her lips before going out of the room.

When her Father turned around after fussing with the tray, Yuuki was charmingly flushed.

- o -

That evening, Yori came over to visit Yuuki, to bring her up to speed on the day's lessons as well as to impart a piece of news.

Yuuki smiled as she saw her friend peeping around her room door. "Yori-chan!"

Yori smiled as she came over and settled on the bed, her large green eyes taking in her friend's pale face. "Chairman Cross told me what happened this morning. How are you feeling, Yuuki-chan?"

Yuuki smiled again. "I'm fine, but Kaname-sempai, Zero and Father insists I have to stay in bed…" She rolled her eyes and saw Yori bite her lip. "And it's _not _Zero's fault!"

That made the petite blond smile. "I never said it was, Yuuki-chan… and Hanabusa sends his regards too"

The smile on Yuuki's lips now hovered between sheepishness and surprise, before she laughed a little. "What? 'Idol-sempai' interrupted his beauty sleep again to send me his precious regards? Can he actually spare some?" she teased Yori.

The blond girl gave a mock frown. "He means it… " Then she grinned. "Although I didn't tell him the actual reason why you're in bed. He thinks you've got flu or caught one of those 'pathetic human germs'" Yori looked down her nose as she gave a very passable imitation of Aido's airy disdain.

That made Yuuki laugh before she gave her friend a spontaneous hug. "I was only kidding, Yori-chan. I believe he really is a nice guy, deep down…" It was Yori's turn to laugh now. "Somehow, I don't think he'd be very flattered to hear that!" It reminded her of Aido's reaction when she'd said pretty much the same thing to him one time.

After a while, she added "Well, you'd better use the free time you have to revise your notes, Yuuki-chan…" Seeing her friend's blank look, the blond added "Our month long holiday starts in two weeks but mid term exams are next week!"

Yuuki groaned, clutching at her hair. "I don't know whether to laugh or cry…" It was Yori's turn to laugh now.

After a moment, Yuuki started worrying her lower lip. "Zero will be alone during the class changeover session the whole of this week, Yori-chan. I hope nothing goes wrong" She knew his intimidating glare would keep most of the star struck girls at bay but Zero was so much more short tempered than she was, and coupled with what he must be feeling now, well… Not to mention Kaname would be there too, and watching him... even if the Dorm Leader had promised her he wouldn't harm Zero.

A mysterious smile curved Yori's lips now as she reached inside her bag. "Nothing will" she said.

Yuuki sighed pensively, not paying attention. "Anything can go wrong…" Her eyes finally caught sight of a white arm band Yori was casually waving around. "What is that – Yori-chan!"

The smile turned into a grin. "Well, I did say Chairman Cross came to see me this morning, right? He offered me a job…" She gave a mock sigh. "Unfortunately, it appears to be a non-paying one..."

When the Chairman came into the room a moment later, he was met with a round of high pitched squeals as well as the heartwarming sight of Yuuki and Yori hugging each other.

Yori left soon after that, saying she was going to get last minute tips from Zero-kun on the best way to intimidate giddy Day Class girls before the actual changeover started. That made Yuuki smile before she hugged her friend again - she knew this role, however brief, would afford Yori some measure of respect from the jealous 'Idol-sempai' screamers, or at least a chance to get back at them.

But more importantly, to Yuuki at least, it also meant that Yori was still supportive of her and Zero. And she appreciated it more than she could say.

-- To Be Continued --


	46. Chap 20: Yuuki's Decision Part 3

**Author Notes:** OK, this is the next update. If you think my updates are coming out faster now, you're right! Just want to get this pivotal chapter out as fast as I can… It has a small cliffie at the end but hang in there, because Part 4 should be uploaded by this weekend.

-- Continued --

That evening was a Friday and class changeover actually went relatively smoothly, to Yori's and Yuuki's relief. The impending exams also meant that there were a lot fewer Day Class students milling around outside the Moon Dorms and this worked to Yori's advantage as well.

Those who were around were of course surprised to see quiet and studious Sayori Wakaba standing beside moody Zero Kiriyu in front of the Moon Dorm gates and their mouths practically fell open when they noticed the white School Prefect arm band adorning her jacket sleeve. There were a few mutterings from the group of loyal 'Idol-sempai' screamers but other than throwing mutinous glares at the petite blond, they didn't do anything else.

"Don't let them see that you're nervous" advised Zero out of the corner of his mouth to his temporary fellow prefect as he stood there with his hands in his pockets, seemingly unconcerned. Yori glanced at him, a little startled – she thought she was pretty good at masking her feelings but apparently not to the tall, silver haired prefect.

Zero turned and gave her a half smile. "And stare them down" he added casually. Yori knew he was trying to make her feel more relaxed and she smiled at him. She'd told him earlier that she knew why Yuuki wouldn't be attending classes as well as carry out her prefect duties. Yori had seen the guilt that clouded Zero's eyes and she quickly assured him that she knew it hadn't been his intention to hurt Yuuki. Zero had turned away with a shrug then but his whispered word of thanks told her he appreciated what she said… even if it couldn't quite erase the haunted look from his eyes.

- o -

By Sunday night, Yuuki was fed up of staying in bed, even with her studies and her sketchbook to occupy her. There was more colour in her cheeks now as she recovered her usual strength and the Chairman agreed that she could take her exams with the rest of her classmates if she returned to the main building to rest as soon as the exams were over. It was enough to make Yuuki pout but she finally agreed.

She had to admit, however, that it was a pleasant change not having to face the giddy Day Class girls every evening, and Yori came to see her after class changeover, staying back for dinner occasionally. Kaname also visited her every evening after dinner, but always at the time when the Chairman and Zero were out patrolling. Yuuki wondered if that was deliberately done but she didn't want to offend him by asking him outright.

Zero was very quiet during dinner and Yuuki wondered if he would start to distance himself from her again after what had happened. But she heard his knock at her door an hour later and the knowledge that it could only be him, made her weak with relief. "Come in, Zero" she called softly.

Zero closed her room door behind him and took a couple of steps, then paused uncertainly. A smile trembled on Yuuki's lips even as her heart ached a little. Impulsively, she held out her hands. "Come here, Zero… and hold me" she asked softly. Zero closed his eyes briefly in thanks, then he strode over to the bed where Yuuki was. He sat down beside her and gathered her into his arms. Yuuki slid her own arms around Zero's back, breathing in the familiar scent of his shampoo and soap, loving the feel of being in his arms once more.

"I was afraid you wouldn't come to see me" she admitted softly, rubbing her cheek on the soft cotton of his pyjama shirt and listening to his strong heartbeat. She felt Zero drop a kiss on the top of her head. "I couldn't stay away" he replied, cradling her gently in his arms.

Yuuki hugged him tighter in answer. Long minutes in perfect silence passed, then she lifted her head. She didn't want to ask, but she had to remind him…

"Zero?"

"Hmm?"

"If you need… blood… please promise me you'll take from someone, OK?" she asked softly. Zero pulled back a little to look at her. "Not you, Yuuki' he said.

A small smile appeared on Yuuki's lips. "Somehow, I knew you'd say that" she said gently. "But Father won't mind… and Yori volunteered too..."

Zero's eyebrows rose. "She did?"

Yuuki smiled and nodded, she knew Zero was thinking back to that one time he'd taken from Yori. "I don't mind if you take from her, Zero, but I told her she had Aido to consider now..."

Zero nodded, grimacing a little - that reminded him of the impulsive noble's vow. He sighed then bent forward to kiss Yuuki's cheek. "I promise" he said solemnly.

Yuuki smiled in relief. "Good" she said. "Now kiss me. Or don't you want to…?"

Zero smiled but it faded almost immediately. "Yuuki - what if…" he broke off. _What if I can't control my bloodlust when I kiss you?_

"You won't" reassured Yuuki, instinctively knowing what he was going to say. She reached up to press her lips trustingly to his. Automatically, Zero tilted his head, his heartbeat increasing as her lips parted willingly under his, making his body tremble with longing.

_Yuuki… I love you... always._

- o -

Zero managed to get through the week of exams without his bloodlust flaring up again but his pangs started again on Friday evening. Since exams had ended an hour ago, Yuuki insisted on accompanying Zero and Yori to the Moon Dorms during class changeover, guessing more students would show up.

Zero was tense as he shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to ignore the auburn haired girl beside him – he knew she was having her monthly cycle again and her unique scent teased his senses. It would have been better if she'd gone back to her room but Yuuki being Yuuki… Zero sighed.

Around them, excitement was running high since it was the eve of the month long school holidays and the exams were finally over. "Idol-sempai! Idol-sempai!" Hanabusa Aido's fan club members were also out in full force, most of them having missed this almost daily ritual in favour of more important last minute revisions.

Their high pitched squeals grated on Zero's nerves and he glared at them furiously. Honestly, they were all such brainless – A gentle hand on his arm made him turn. Yuuki smiled up at him. "Hey… don't glare so, Zero" she said gently. Again, the musky scent of her menses teased him and his bloodlust flared. Hard. It was a lucky thing there was still a minute or so to go before the Moon Dorm gates opened, but the sudden tightening in his chest and the throbbing in his jaw sent alarm signals racing through Zero. Quickly, he averted his gaze from the waiting Day Class students.

_Shit_. He didn't want to leave Yuuki and Yori alone to deal with this but he couldn't hide his symptoms either.

"Zero…" Yuuki had noticed the change in his breathing and Zero shook his head. "I can't stay here, Yuuki, sorry" he muttered, turning around. He stopped when she grabbed his hand. "Wait, I'm coming too" she whispered.

"No!" Zero gasped out. "Don't follow me!" he shot at her before shaking off her hand and striding away.

"Zero!" Yuuki bit her lip as he ignored her. Someone squeezed her shoulder and she turned around to see Yori's calm face smiling at her. "I'll be fine, Yuuki-chan. You go look after Zero-kun..."

Yuuki's eyes filled with tears and she squeezed her friend's arm in a mute gesture of thanks before turning to run after Zero.

Inwardly, Yori was a shaking bundles of nerves – she never had to deal with the Day Class students by herself before. And the past few days had been fine since there were only a few of them milling around but practically all the Day Class students seemed to be here this evening. _I just hope I don't get trampled on… _she thought to herself grimly.

Outwardly, the petite blond girl was a picture of calm confidence as she squared her shoulders and adjusted the prefect arm band on her jacket sleeve. She folded her arms across her chest and ignored the curious buzzing around her at the School Prefects' sudden disappearance.

The Moon Dorm gates creaked open barely half a minute later, and Kaname was the first one to walk out, flanked by Seiren and Kain. The pureblood's dark eyes noted immediately that only Yori was standing there and he walked up to her without delay.

"Sayori Wakaba?"

"Yes, Kaname-sempai?"

"Where are the two School Prefects - Yuuki Cross and Zero Kiriyu?"

The green eyes widened slightly. Oh dear, thought Yori. Should she tell him about Zero's bloodlust or not? He already knew about it, right?

The pureblood took a step closer, bending down a little. "Is it Kiriyu's bloodlust again?" he murmured quietly, his gaze probing and intense. Yori exhaled then sighed. "Yes, he walked away from here and Yuuki followed him" she replied, nodding towards the main building.

Kaname nodded. "Thank you, Sayori" he murmured. "Don't worry, they will be fine" he added, seeing the worry in Yori's eyes. Then he looked up and hesitated. All the Day Class students were eyeing them curiously now, even a little suspiciously. Kaname didn't like the idea of leaving Sayori alone to deal with this but… it was urgent that he found Yuuki and Zero fast. _Just in case Kiriyu couldn't control himself again…_

"Kaname-sama?" Hanabusa Aido stood beside them now. His salutation was for the pureblood but his serious and worried blue eyes were fixed upon the petite blond girl beside him. "Yori? Is anything wrong?" he added hurriedly in a low voice. Kain appeared beside him.

"Aido" Kaname's eyebrows were raised as he looked at Aido speculatively. "You know Sayori Wakaba?"

Aido gulped. "Uh, uhm… yes" he muttered.

Kaname didn't have time to ask how Aido came to be on first name basis with Yuuki's close friend but it did give him an idea. "Good. You and Kain stay with her, and make sure nothing happens"

The pureblood ignored the identically stupefied looks on both the cousins' faces, shook his head at Seiren as she took a step towards him, nodded at Yori, then walked swiftly towards the main building.

As one, Aido, Kain and Yori turned to face the extremely silent group of Day Class girls now. Yori held in her smile. _Well, well… one never knew what was going to happen. Imagine two Night Class students being appointed as School Prefects, and Hanabusa Aido one of them! _

"You're a lifesaver, Hanabusa" murmured Yori serenely to the still rather taken aback looking blond noble beside her, as she stared straight ahead. On her other side, Kain barely managed to suppress a snicker even though he was careful enough not to acknowledge Ruka's enquiring look.

Aido pushed his hands into his trouser pockets and gave a deep sigh, looking like he didn't know where to direct his gaze since his fan club members were now looking at him as if he'd just betrayed them in the worst possible way.

"Just make sure you give me a kiss later to make up for this" he muttered to Yori, flushing a little as he heard Kain's wicked chuckle.

- o -

Zero reached the main building with long urgent strides, but his chest tightened unbearably and his legs shook once he reached the corridor that led to his and Yuuki's rooms. Leaning against the wall and gasping for breath, Zero found himself sliding down against it until he ended up sitting on the floor. _How pathetic… _His long fingers clawed at his tie, almost wrenching the length of red silk from his neck. But he still couldn't seem to get enough air and his breathing got increasingly harsh and ragged. Zero's heart sank - he didn't want Yuuki to see him like this - she would bare her neck for him in an instant, and his eyes closed in despair.

"Zero"

Yuuki was standing in front of him now and Zero opened his eyes slowly, knowing his fangs had extended and his eyes already red. As he'd fully expected, Yuuki's hand went up to her shirt collar. "I know you need blood, and I'm OK now..."

Zero tried to glare at her but he couldn't. It wouldn't work, anyway… Mutely, he shook his head.

Yuuki's eyes filled with tears and she bit her lip, wanting to argue but knowing how stubborn Zero could be. "Then hold on, I'll go get Father, OK?" But before she could turn around, Zero shook his head again. Wearily.

"Why not, Zero?" Yuuki frowned.

"Because Father's gone out. Besides, it won't help, Yuuki… I can't go on like this" His eyes pleaded with her but Yuuki shook her head stubbornly. "If you won't take from Father, then it will just have to be me" she asserted determinedly. _I won't allow this to happen to you..._

Zero saw the tears in her eyes and his own filled as well even as frustration swelled in him. "Have you forgotten what happened that night, Yuuki? Because I can't…"

"I don't care!"

"But I do, Yuuki!"

Yuuki bit her lip again. "Please, Zero" she whispered as she crouched in front of Zero, her fingers unbuttoning her shirt. He backed away but his back was already against the wall, and he couldn't get any further. Yuuki leaned forward. "Please take from me..." she pleaded.

"No, Yuuki!"

Zero had said it. But another voice had sounded at the exact same moment, saying the exact same words.

Both Yuuki and Zero froze before swinging towards Kaname Kuran, standing at the entrance of the corridor about six feet away. Tall. Stern. Unrelenting. Dark eyes blazing with emotion.

"No, Yuuki" repeated Kaname as he took a step closer. "I cannot let you give anymore blood to Kiriyu"

Zero swallowed, torn between relief and despair. There was no fear that Yuuki would persist in this foolishness now, because Kuran was here. The silver haired prefect took a shuddering breath, at a loss of what to say. He knew Kaname would never let him bite Yuuki anymore. And he couldn't blame him - Zero knew he would do the exact same thing if their positions were reversed.

"No..." Yuuki shook her head. Somehow, the appearance of Kaname and the look on his face frightened, rather than reassured her. Slowly, she got to her feet but took a step closer to Zero before turning to face the pureblood, as if she would protect Zero from her own savior. Even as she did that, Yuuki's face paled and her eyes showed distress at what her action must mean to the pureblood whom she had always looked up to.

Kaname paused. "My dear" he murmured, his dark eyes filled with sudden pain. "You have to choose - it's time."

Yuuki's tear washed eyes widened and her breath faltered. Choose? Choose what? But even as her heart tried to deny it, her mind knew exactly what he meant. Kaname's smile was as gentle as it had ever been. But there was also apprehension in the dark eyes, something that she had _never _seen. "Choose between Kiriyu-kun… or me, Yuuki" he said.

And Yuuki's eyes closed as she swallowed hard.

_Choose between the two most important men in her life, who mean everything to her._

_Choose between the sun and the moon._

_Choose between the day and the night._

_Choose one person and the other's heart would break._

_Choose one person and her own heart would never mend._

How could she choose? She couldn't!

"Kaname-sempai?" she whispered. "Don't ask me to choose, I – I love you both - I can't choose!"

Zero had stopped breathing when Kaname had said those words. But he also knew that it was time for Yuuki to choose. They couldn't go on if she didn't. Because he knew she didn't just love him, she loved Kaname too. She always had. And now she had to choose between them.

Choose between Kaname Kuran who loved her more than anyone else in the world, and Zero Kiriyu who loved her just as much, if not more.

Zero's eyes closed in pain.

_Choose between the person who had saved her life when she was a little girl, who had always protected and looked out for her… and the person who had come to her much later, a tortured person in pain and despair, hating what he had become, hating what he would eventually turn into._

_Choose between eternal life… and a few short years or even months. Perhaps even weeks._

_Choose between a life of riches and privilege, power and contentment… and a life of comparative poverty, uncertainty and fear that it could at any moment end in madness._

_Choose between a confident and self assured pureblood whom the human world feared and the vampire world revered and respected… and an ex-human who would find acceptance in neither one._

Well, it wasn't much of a contest, was it? No, not really.

Yuuki's eyes were wider than ever as she automatically took a step back from both of them, swinging from one beloved and familiar face to another, her mouth opening and closing without a sound coming out - this was one of her worst nightmares come true. No matter who she chose, _someone_ would get hurt. _Someone's_ heart would be broken irreparably. And she knew her heart too would break because she loved them both so very much.

Kaname's face was gentle, impassive. His dark eyes held the deep understanding of the turmoil Yuuki was going through as well as the deep abiding love he had held for her since the day he knew her. He was silent and still, not wanting to influence her decision but he glanced at the ex-human sitting on the floor a few feet away from him. It was possible, of course, that Yuuki would choose Kiriyu-kun. She was closer to the ex-human than she was with him. She'd spent almost every waking moment with her adopted brother since she met him four to five years ago… she'd spent only a few hours with him, by comparison.

And there was no denying that there was only a year between Yuuki and Zero, compared to the handful of years between himself and her. There were more differences too - how they were brought up, the things they had in common, her life experiences till now and his past, knowledge and responsibilities of a pureblood, forced to grow up and mature far beyond his years.

Yuuki had also given Kiriyu-kun her blood for the past year now, and Kaname knew it was more than just helping him. Yuuki loved Zero - that much he was certain of. He'd also begun to suspect, for some time actually, that they had a level of intimacy deeper than before. The times when they'd traded glances or looks that said they'd shared more than just secrets... given more than just blood. Yes, there was a very distinct possibility that Yuuki would choose Kiriyu-kun… the familiar over the sheer unfamiliarity of the world Kaname lived in. He knew the temptation of riches, power and even long life held no sway for Yuuki.

Zero's face was resigned, quiet, despite the lines of pain around his eyes and mouth. He also held the deep understanding of the turmoil Yuuki was going through as well as the deep and unshakeable love he held for her since he'd come to know her. Zero remained silent as he sat on the floor, already knowing what the outcome would be, and not wanting to sway Yuuki's emotions that would affect her judgment on this. He glanced up at the pureblood who stood there silently at the door. It was inevitable that Yuuki would choose Kuran.

Amethyst eyes met dark brown now and both pairs of eyes widened at the sudden realisation that the other would do nothing to try to influence Yuuki to favour them more, because they knew how hard it already was for her. Kaname nodded slightly. Zero did as well, then they both turned to face Yuuki again. And waited.

Yuuki's cold fingers clasped and unclasped as she looked from to the other, dread squeezing her heart until she felt she couldn't even breathe. Then her eyes squeezed shut as she bowed her head, letting her hair hang down to hide her face from both of them.

Kaname-sempai and Zero... They appeared to be so different, at least on the surface. But deep inside where it truly mattered, they were so alike, somehow. They were both good and caring, in their ways. They cared for her, they cared for others. They had principles they adhered to. They made decisions they could live with. They were not selfish people who used others for their own gains. And they both loved her very much. How could she ever choose between them?

Yuuki, what do _you _want? she asked herself in despair. Don't think of them now, or you will never be able to choose. Just think of yourself and what you want for yourself…

Well, the answer was pretty obvious. She wanted to be loved, of course. She wanted to be desired and adored. But she wanted to be more than just the recipient in a loving relationship, she wanted to _give _as much as she received. She wanted to be _needed_. Because she had so much love inside her and she wanted to give that love to someone.

And that realisation helped.

Yuuki sighed, slender shoulders finally relaxing as she straightened up and opened her eyes, her lashes wet and spiky with tears. Both Kaname and Zero inhaled softly as she smiled tremulously at them in turn.

"I love you both very much" she said softly. "You both mean the world to me… but you asked me to choose, and so I have."

With that statement, both men in the room stopped breathing.

Then Yuuki stepped forward. Reaching out, she took both of Kaname's elegant and graceful hands in her small ones before smiling up at him. "Kaname"

Not _Kaname-sempai_. But _Kaname_…

And even though Zero knew it was what Yuuki would and should choose, even though he knew it was the right choice and the most logical one to make, his heart broke all over again.

-- To Be Continued --


	47. Chap 20: Yuuki's Decision Part 4

**Author Notes:** Well, am I fast or am I fast! _-grins-_ This is the final part of the Yuuki's Decision chapter. Thank you all so much for continuing to read and review Hold Me, I hope you like this update.

-- Continued --

Kaname's eyes widened as they looked at Yuuki. _She – she can't have chosen me!_ Involuntarily, the pureblood glanced at the ex-human. Kiriyu-kun was staring at Yuuki, looking as if he was turned to stone, his face stricken and all colour draining from it.

Yuuki smiled, a gentle and loving smile through the tears that filled her eyes as she squeezed the hands in hers. "I love you very, very much, Kaname…"

Zero's eyes squeezed shut as he gasped softly, white hot pain knifing through the bleeding and broken excuse of a heart that still beat in his chest. Why had he even hoped? How could he have even thought that there was a chance that she'd choose him?

"… but I'm sorry, I love Zero more."

And again, both men stopped breathing again as their minds digested what Yuuki had said. Kaname was stunned - she chose Zero after all! His Yuuki had finally chosen, and it wasn't him! "My dear…" he murmured.

Tears streaked down Yuuki's face and she clung onto Kaname's hands tighter, her fingers squeezing painfully tight. "I'm so sorry, Kaname, I love you both! But – but if I can only have _one _of you, I choose Zero… always. Because I love him, and I need him!"

She couldn't bear to look upon the stunned features of Kaname anymore. Drawing in a shaky breath, she released his hands and swung round to Zero, who looked equally stunned. Yuuki dropped to her knees in between his outstretched legs and threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. "I love you, Zero. I will never leave you, never!" she vowed.

The pain in Zero's heart slowly ceased but a new one took its place. Somehow, he managed a beautiful but sad smile as he slowly lifted his hands to drag Yuuki's arms from around his neck. "Dearest" he whispered as he looked into Yuuki's tear drenched eyes. "I can't let you do this…"

Yuuki shook her head and Zero pulled her close again, savouring the feel of her body against his, relishing the knowledge that she chose him after all. He knew he was also crying but ignored the tears coursing down his own cheeks. After a long moment, he lifted his eyes to look at Kaname. The pureblood was still standing there, and looking surprisingly composed if still surprised. "Kuran, you - you have to take care of her. Because you know… I can't."

The pureblood stepped forward now and got down on one knee in front of them, graceful as always, even in defeat. "Kiriyu-kun – Zero, Yuuki chose you, not me" he murmured. "Do you know what that means? To her? To me?"

Zero barely heard the words, he was suddenly struck by the unbelievable but unmistakable look of relief in the dark eyes that looked back steadily at him. Relief? Why _relief_ of all things? Then it finally hit Zero. Why Kuran was looking like that. It didn't make sense at all, but for some indefinable reason…

"You - you wanted Yuuki to choose me? Why?" Zero asked dazedly. The world was spinning dizzily; nothing made sense to him anymore. Nothing except Yuuki's trembling body in his arms, still sobbing quietly against his chest as he leaned back against the wall. And that strangely compelling look in Kaname's eyes as he smiled. _Because Kiriyu, I would only relinquish Yuuki to the one who loves her as much as I do._

Kaname smiled softly as his eyes shifted to look at the girl in Zero's arms. "Because I can't have her. And you can."

A slight frown drew Zero's brows together - Kuran wasn't making any sense at all.

"What the hell are you talking about?" he demanded, as angrily as he could, from his vulnerable position on the floor, with a sobbing Yuuki in his arms and his entire body shaking with bloodlust as well as the unbearable joy that against all odds, Yuuki had chosen him over Kaname.

Yuuki pushed up from Zero's chest, swiping at her eyes. One hand still on Zero's shoulder for balance, she looked back at the pureblood. "Yes, what do you mean, Kaname?" she asked quietly, hiccoughing slightly.

The pureblood sighed. "It's a long story…" He shook his head and held up a hand as Yuuki opened her mouth again. "And I will tell it to both of you. But now, Kiriyu-kun - Zero - needs blood" He shook his head again as Yuuki's fingers automatically went to finger her shirt collar. "Not yours, Yuuki. Mine"

Again, Zero was stunned. Kaname Kuran, Moon Dorm Leader, revered pureblood and hated love rival, was offering him _his _blood? Had the world suddenly gone mad?

Yuuki moved back a little, eyes wide, as Kaname moved closer to Zero. "Drink from me" he said quietly. "I can spare more than Yuuki can, and my blood will also help you more than hers can" As he spoke, the pureblood unbuttoned and shrugged off his white school jacket, letting it fall to the floor.

Still stunned, Zero stared up at Kaname. "But why would you do that?" he asked in a whisper. What good would that serve the pureblood now? Yuuki had already made her choice - surely Kuran didn't think this would win him any sympathy votes from her?

Or perhaps it was just a ploy for Kuran to kill him? He would be able to for sure - Zero was weak and shaken now. But to do that in front of Yuuki… Kaname saw that sudden look of alarm in the red tinged eyes, and smiled. Enigmatically.

"No, Zero, I have no wish to kill you" he said quietly. "It would defeat the purpose, don't you think?" He paused. "Or did you really think me so petty? That I would put my happiness before Yuuki's?"

The sudden look of pain in his eyes made Zero pause and involuntarily, he shook his head. No, Kaname would never hurt Yuuki. No matter what. He believed at least that much about his love rival.

Kaname moved closer still, on both knees now, his fingers undoing his shirt buttons and baring one side of his neck. "Drink" he said, and Zero froze – very uncomfortable about Kuran's offer as well as the fact that Yuuki was still there next to them, staring at them both. But it couldn't be helped. His bloodlust had flared sharply again, both at Kaname's scent as well as his unexpected invitation. The pureblood's scent was… unique… pure… sweetly intoxicating in its own way, and Zero couldn't stop his fangs from growing out fully, anymore than he could stop his shaking hand from curling around the pureblood's neck to bring him even closer.

Zero reached up, nuzzling his face into Kaname's neck, his other hand sliding from Yuuki's waist to push Kaname's black shirt collar and long hair out of the way before sinking his fangs into that pale neck, offered to him so temptingly. He heard Kaname hiss softly as his neck was pierced. The pureblood's long tresses were as soft and as silky as Yuuki's and that pure, rich, intoxicating blood… With a small gasp of need, Zero pulled Kaname even closer to him.

Kaname's hand threaded through the silver hair, his eyes closing as he held the boy's head to his neck. He leaned forward, balancing his weight with his other hand pressed flat against the wall beside Zero's head. Even though his eyes were closed, his ears and senses were open and on alert, fully aware of his surroundings. He knew Yuuki was kneeling beside them now, her wide eyes taking in the sight of Zero's face buried in the pureblood's neck, a sight she'd never before imagined. Kaname tried hard to stop his body from trembling because giving blood was new to him. It meant giving in, betraying weakness and loss of control… but he knew it could also mean love… trust… understanding.

Zero was desperately hungry and he sucked and drank deeply and ravenously, finding dizzyingly sweet relief from the pangs of his bloodlust, but he fought himself from biting the pureblood too harshly. Because Kaname didn't _need _to give him his blood, and right after he'd lost to him too… That humbling thought stayed with Zero and softened his bite. And after satisfying the sharp and urgent edge of his thirst, he drank from Kaname almost the same way he drank from Yuuki - if not with the exact same loving tenderness, then at least with a certain amount of care. And he knew there was a difference between them both. In the feel of the pureblood's body and neck. In his scent. In the taste of his blood. Even though a very, very slight and strange sense of familiarity lingered.

And in the midst of it all, a small and gentle hand came to rest on Zero's shoulder, and he relaxed a little, knowing it was _her _hand. Yuuki put her other hand on Kaname's shoulder as well, and the pureblood opened his eyes, glancing up at her. She was smiling at him and Zero with love shining from her eyes.

Yes. It was all for Yuuki.

- o -

Zero looked at the floor as he licked his lips self-consciously, trying not to remember how Kaname's lean but strong body had trembled against his as he drank, and especially as he licked the swiftly healing puncture wounds on the pale skin. Zero's body was also shaking but it was from the pure rush of Kaname's intoxicating blood in his body, stabilising his body and his mind, driving away the impending shadow of madness.

Finally, his eyes sought the pureblood's. "Kuran… what did you mean you can't have Yuuki?" he asked quietly. He was still sitting on the floor against the wall and Yuuki was kneeling beside him, her hand on his arm as if she feared he would still slip away from her.

Kaname hesitated, his hands doing up the top two buttons of his shirt before getting up gracefully and donning his jacket once more. "This is no place for a proper discussion" he said ruefully. "Come, let's find Chairman Cross first…"

Both Zero and Yuuki exchanged amazed looks. Kaname held out his hand to pull Yuuki to her feet and Zero stood up slowly, his mind still whirling. Was their Father somehow involved in all this?

- o -

Chairman Cross returned from town a couple of minutes later and was surprised, to say the least, when he opened the front door to find Kaname, Zero and Yuuki all waiting for him in the living room.

"Well, and what's all this about?" he asked, both eyebrows well up. He couldn't help noticing the happy but tearful smile on Yuuki's face, the equally happy if still stunned look on Zero's face and the fact that they were both holding hands.

_Right in front of Kaname Kuran._

The pureblood smiled at him. "It's time" he said quietly. The Chairman nodded, smiling a little, even thought he looked a little anxious. "Well, let's go to my study then…" he agreed, leading the way.

- o -

Yuuki was in shock as she stared almost unseeingly at the documents spread on the Chairman's desk in front of her. All of them had come from the heavy brown envelope that she and Zero had helped him retrieve from his safe deposit box about a month or so ago.

_Yuuki Kuran._

So Kaname-sempai… her saviour… the pureblood vampire who had rescued her more than ten years ago on that snowy mountain top… the one she had had a crush on ever since she could remember… was none other than her… _brother_?! When had this happened? And – and if he was a pureblood vampire, then so was she… right? Yuuki glanced up at Kaname, a distressed frown on her face, her eyes wide and confused.

Kaname read her thoughts easily. "No, Yuuki" he said very gently. "Mother – our Mother – gave her life to turn you into a human. You are no longer a vampire, pureblood or otherwise" There was a brief note of pain in his voice despite the fact that he'd had more than ten years to get used to the idea that his little sister would never remember the first four years of her life - her loving Father and Mother, and her adoring older brother. No… the blood and life had been sacrificed to keep her alive and safe from those who would harm her.

"We had enemies, Yuuki, and you, being the youngest, were their target. All we wanted for you was to live a full and happy life. I promised our parents I would do everything in my power to keep you safe… " A gentle smile touched Kaname's lips now, "… even to the extent of encouraging your childhood crush on me" he admitted quietly. He repressed another smile as Yuuki blushed awkwardly. Geez… how embarrassing was that - having a crush on your own _brother_?

Beside her, Zero snorted softly. He and Yuuki were sitting in the two chairs facing the Chairman's desk. The silver haired prefect had been quiet with shock during the past few minutes as Yuuki's past was revealed by the devious pureblood but…

"Kuran, are you saying that Yuuki's one hundred percent human now?" he demanded, his heart thudding painfully. It wasn't possible that Yuuki was a vampire… and a pureblood one at that. It wasn't possible that she was actually _related _to Kaname Kuran, his love rival…

But if Yuuki was a vampire… Zero's heart gave a funny lurch in his chest. He just couldn't reconcile that side of Yuuki with the generous, loving and klutzy girl sitting beside him now, her small hand still holding his tightly, her gaze fixed upon the dark haired pureblood in front of her.

Kaname smiled again, that same sad smile. He was half sitting against the edge of the Chairman's desk on Yuuki's side, and he bent forward now to slide his fingers through her silky auburn hair. Zero held himself still, one small part of him remained unaccustomed to seeing the pureblood touch Yuuki with that loving familiarity.

"Yes" said Kaname quietly. "Her blood is sweet and appealing because of its heritage, but without its pureblood power now…" For a moment, Kaname appeared lost in memories as he fingered Yuuki's hair. Her large eyes watched him silently, neither accepting or rejecting his touch.

"I remember, Yuuki" he murmured quietly. "I remember a time when your hair was as dark as mine, and your eyes too… but after the change process, both your hair and eyes lightened a shade or two" He sighed and shrugged a little. "Unexpected, I guess, but it was also good, at least it helped to disguise you, even a little…"

There was a soft chuckle from the Chairman now and all three of them looked at him, almost as if they'd forgotten his very presence. "I remember thinking that something was just a bit off when you brought Yuuki over that day, Kaname-kun..."

Yuuki's wide brown eyes looked at him for a long moment, then she turned and regarded Kaname with the same questioning look, her eyes taking in his hair and eyes. The pureblood smiled, as if he knew what she was thinking and let his hand drop to his side as he turned back to the now cluttered desk. His long and elegant fingers sifted through a small pile of coloured photos before picking out one that showed a young family of four – two impossibly good looking parents, a young boy and a little girl, all with black hair and dark brown eyes. He put it in front of her without comment.

Yuuki blinked back tears as she traced the features of her unknown parents with a gentle finger. Kaname's face was familiar to her, of course. And her own too, except for her long black hair and dark eyes, so similar to his…

After a moment, she leaned back. "I need some time to digest all this" she murmured and both men nodded. Chairman Cross sighed as he looked at the still wide eyed girl. "All these years, Yuuki" he said softly. "I hope you'll forgive us for keeping this from you for so long"

Kaname regarded the older man for a moment then he turned back to Yuuki. "I wanted to tell you this one day, Yuuki, when the time was right, especially when I saw how close you and Kiriyu-kun… Zero… had become, in recent months."

Again, he repressed a small smile at Yuuki's sudden blush before continuing "But last week, Zero's need for blood suddenly increased and I knew his condition was no longer stable, that he was closer now to the threat of falling to Level E."

Kaname glanced at Zero, who looked back at him silently before nodding - he understood what the pureblood was saying. Kaname returned his gaze to Yuuki and explained gently "So I had to find out, my dear, your exact feelings for Zero. Whether you see him only as a friend and brother, or whether you truly love him, more than anyone else, even me. Then I would know whether to help him or not…"

Yuuki inhaled deeply before she nodded. Zero was still silent beside her and finally, she turned to face him, her hand still clutching his. "Zero… I have a lot of things to think about… but the one thing I do know now, and always will know, is that I love you" she said softly but resolutely, even as her voice trembled.

Zero stared at her and swallowed as endless questions rushed through his mind. Yuuki had saved him again, by choosing him, but did she really want to stay by his side? She may not be able to love Kaname in the way she thought she did, and the pureblood was no longer his love rival but there was a world of opportunity open now for Yuuki, as Kaname's younger sister, that he knew he had no part of.

Yes, Zero knew he was part of something familiar to her, and Kaname had given him his blood with the underlying implication that he would continue to do so. This would stabilise Zero's condition now, and for many years to come at least… but did Yuuki still want him, when she could now have any other person, human or vampire, in the world?

Yuuki saw the swirling doubts and insecurities in the dearly familiar amethyst eyes gazing longingly and uncertainly back at her. Slowly, she released his hand and pulled her legs up onto the chair, kneeling on its cushioned seat. Yuuki placed her hands on either side of Zero's face before smiling into his eyes, a knowing smile he had never seen before as she said softly but clearly "I want only you, Zero... and I love you, as in 'marry you and have your babies' kind of love..."

Zero swallowed again, oblivious of the look of complete astonishment on the faces of the two other men in the room. "Yuuki…" he said huskily, his eyes blurring with tears once more.

No, he didn't care.

Yuuki may have been Yuuki Kuran before, but she was still Yuuki Cross, the girl who'd stolen his heart. And if she really thought it worthy of keeping, then he was hers, and willingly so. For the rest of his life, and for the rest of hers.

"I don't care if your last name is Kuran or Cross, Yuuki, I love you" Zero said softly before leaning forward. Yuuki did as well, and their lips met in the sweetest kiss they had ever shared. There were still a lot of things to think of and work out of course, but for now, nothing else mattered. No, not even the fact that they weren't alone.

Kaname's eyebrows rose at the tender sight in front of him and Chairman Cross turned away with a discreet sniffle after swiping a tissue from the box on his desk.

-- Chapter End --

**A/N:** _-sighs happily-_ Well, two points to note here. One is the deviation from the manga because Zero had already drunk Kaname's blood in Chapter 30, but I decided to change it here. Also, while I have included the fact that Yuuki is Kaname's younger sister and was a pureblood vampire, I kinda like the idea of her being human. And as I've said many times before, I can never see Kaname as the enemy.

Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this chapter. Hold Me will have another 4 or so more chapters to go before it ends. Thank you for reading!


	48. Chap 21: Zero's Promise Absolved Part 1

**Author Notes:** OK, I managed to squeeze out the next update for Hold Me for this weekend! It's a two parter and Part 2 will be uploaded next week. Hope you like it :D

**Appreciation:** I rushed this out especially for **NAH-CHAN**, thanks for waiting so patiently, Natasha! :D

-- Chapter Start --

It was Tuesday evening and four people stood at the main gates of Cross Academy saying farewell. A limousine was already waiting outside the gates, to take Kaname Kuran and Takuma Ichijo to the Ichijo mansion for two weeks. The Assistant Dorm Leader stood respectfully to one side and directed his gaze elsewhere as Kaname embraced Yuuki tenderly and dropped a kiss onto her forehead before releasing her. "Take care, my dear" he murmured. Yuuki nodded, smiling. "You too, Kaname-ni-sama"

Kaname smiled as he released her and turned to the silver haired boy standing beside them. The scene was a little reminiscent of their previous farewell, during the four day holiday break, but there was a noticeable lack of dislike in the way they held each other's gazes now. There was no reason for Zero to be rude to the young pureblood, just like there was no reason for Kaname to dislike Zero either.

But still, the amethyst gaze resting on him now was almost fierce in its intensity and after a moment, the pureblood realised why - Zero had actually held out his right hand towards him. "Kuran… sama" he said, a slight flush creeping up his pale cheeks. This was _embarrassing_… he could feel Yuuki staring at him. Heck, Takuma was staring at him too. But he'd struggled with himself just now as Kaname was talking to Yuuki and yes, this was what he wanted to say. From the heart.

Despite his habitual reserve, Kaname's eyebrows rose a little as his gaze dropped to the offered hand. There was an uncomfortable look on Zero's face now and the pureblood knew it hadn't been easy at all for the ex-human to say and do that. It took courage… and honour… two things Kaname understood and respected.

The pureblood reached out to grasp Zero's hand firmly in his own elegant one, his eyes warming with respect. "Just 'Kaname'… Zero-kun" he offered quietly. And as Takuma's eyes widened and the silver haired prefect's lips parted in surprise, Kaname bent closer. "Take good care of Yuuki" he added. It was part command, part request and completely unnecessary but Zero nodded anyway.

"I will."

And when Kaname released his hand, there was a slight smile on both their faces this time. Both combined to warm Yuuki's heart and she linked her arm with Zero's, waving goodbye to Kaname and Takuma as they got into the limousine.

Yuuki sighed blissfully - five and half weeks of holiday with Zero - wonderful!

- o -

"Well, and how did you think you did in the exams?" asked Chairman Cross jovially during dinner.

After four days of intense catch up with Yuuki's past, dinner on Wednesday night was a relaxed affair with just Chairman Cross, Yuuki and Zero at the table.

Zero had some catching up of his own to do as well… the older man had caught him stealing kisses and hugs from Yuuki whenever the silver haired prefect thought they were alone, although the older man has a shrewd suspicion that Zero didn't exactly mind who saw them anymore. The silver haired boy who used to be withdrawn, moody and tortured was now relaxed and happy, a quiet smile teasing his lips ever so often.

Yuuki looked around the table. Yes, she was happy, very much so… but a shadow crossed her eyes as she recalled the conversation she had with Yori last Saturday morning before her friend left for home. Yuuki sighed softly – she wished everyone could be as happy as she was.

"Yuuki?"

The Chairman's voice brought Yuuki back to the present. Asking both of them how they did after each exam was practically a ritual for him and both Yuuki and Zero shared a smile over this.

"Well, how well do you think the exams went?" her Father pressed her.

Yuuki glanced at her Father. "Oh, same as usual, I guess" she muttered reluctantly.

His eyebrows shot up. "You mean you failed each paper?"

"Father!" Yuuki stared in open mouthed reproach at the Chairman as Zero choked on a mouthful of soup, slurped at a most inappropriate time.

The Chairman grinned at both their responses. He shot a glance at the silver haired boy who was still coughing, his eyes watering, then to the indignant expression on the auburn haired girl looking at him.

After a moment, Yuuki's eyes dropped to her bowl of rice. "I think I passed every one this time" she muttered.

"Ah, thanks to?" murmured Zero, after clearing his throat and looking as innocent as he could.

"Thanks to Zero, of course" said Yuuki obediently. She turned to Zero and gave him a loving smile that took him by surprise. It was probably the first time she'd openly acknowledged his help in front of their Father and she enjoyed the look on his face before calmly resuming her dinner.

"And you, Zero?"

Zero shrugged carelessly. "Same as usual" he repeated briefly, echoing Yuuki's earlier words.

The older man nodded approvingly. "You mean you did well, then… good for you, Zero" he shot a none too subtle glance at Yuuki which clearly said why couldn't she do the same.

Yuuki sniffed. "The results are not out yet, Father"

Surprisingly, Zero nodded. "Yuuki's right, Father"

Two mention of 'Fathers' in less than five seconds – the Chairman's eyes overflowed with happy tears. Yuuki shot Zero a pleased smile which he returned quietly. It wasn't the first time he'd acknowledged the older man directly like that…

- o -

Zero leaned back, propping himself up on one elbow as he looked out at the lake, one ear still tuned to the soft sounds Yuuki made as she hummed softly, reaching into the picnic basket. It was the following afternoon and the balmy weather had prompted both of them to have an outdoor picnic under the shade of the large tree overlooking the lake.

Carefully taking out a chilled fruit salad, Yuuki peeled the cling wrap off the top of the bowl, before dropping a plastic fork on top of the cut pieces of fruit. Then she placed the bowl at Zero's elbow.

"Here you go" she said, before digging into the basket again but Zero didn't bother turning around. "Hmm" was all he said.

Yuuki took out a plastic container of sandwiches next. "Zero, eat your share now, I only brought one fork, you know"

He turned towards her, the soft breeze ruffling the longish silver strands over his eyes. He looked gorgeous and Yuuki stared at him for a moment. "Feed me, Yuuki" he said. She blinked, wondering if she'd heard wrongly. "What?"

Zero was looking steadily at her. "Feed me…" he said again.

Yuuki frowned. "Why?"

Zero's dimple flashed briefly. "Because I want you to?" he answered.

Then, as Yuuki didn't say anything, he added "Please?" flashing a smile she wouldn't be able to resist. A small grin tugged at Yuuki's lips. Zero was in one of his rare playful moods and she didn't want to cut it short.

Moving closer to him, she reached for the fork, deliberately selecting a piece of apple. Zero opened his mouth willingly and she popped it in. He smiled his thanks before chewing the fruit. Yuuki ate a piece of orange. When she saw that Zero had swallowed his mouthful, she speared a piece of orange which she knew was sour. Zero's lips slipped the fruit off the fork and he screwed up his eyes briefly at the sourness, augmented by the sweetness of the apple previously. Yuuki burst out laughing.

"Serves you right, lazybones!" she teased him, her wide eyes dancing merrily.

Zero pursed his lips. "Not fair, Yuuki" he said. Then he grinned. "You'd better give me something sweet quickly… now"

Yuuki relented. "Oh, OK" she said as she looked in the bowl for a red grape, which she knew was sweet.

"I don't mean fruit, Yuuki…"

Yuuki glanced up to see Zero's suddenly intense gaze on hers and she forgot about grapes, sweet or otherwise. "Then what do you mean?" she breathed even though she thought she knew.

"Kiss me…" Zero's whispered words sounded both like a command and a plea. Yuuki dropped the fork back in the bowl and leaned forward. Zero tasted apple on Yuuki's lips, she tasted orange on his. Slowly, without breaking the kiss, eyes fluttering close, Zero pushed up to sit, his long fingers sliding through the silky auburn strands to cup the back of Yuuki's head as he slanted his own, coaxing her lips to open.

Yuuki moaned softly, her eyes closed, lips parting willingly. She held onto his broad shoulders as the kiss deepened and Zero's tongue found hers. But he was still too tall and Yuuki rose up on her knees, winding her arms around his neck, feeling the soft hair against her fingers.

They finally parted for air. Zero looked into Yuuki's eyes. "You're sweet" he whispered and the look in his eyes made Yuuki's cheeks warm. "You too" she whispered. Zero bent his head again, claiming her lips.

Long and delicious moments later, he pulled away slightly. "We'd better eat" he said a little ruefully. Yuuki glanced down distractedly at the fruit bowl, then an impish smile tilted her lips upwards. She lightly slapped Zero's hand away as he reached for the fork.

"Me first" she said and obediently, Zero paused, intrigued by the smile on Yuuki's face. She transferred a piece of apple from the fork to her mouth, holding it between her lips. Then she bent forward. "Bite it" she said, rather indistinctly, but Zero knew what she'd said.

His lips barely touching hers, their breaths mingling together, Zero carefully bit the piece of apple in half. They both chewed their share but eyed each other's lips with hunger. Yuuki swallowed and smiled. She speared another grape and held it between her teeth. Leaning forward, she waited until Zero's lips had closed around it, then sucked the grape back into her mouth.

"Hey" Zero pulled back, a little disappointed. Yuuki was such a tease sometimes…

But she only smiled mysteriously. "Come and get it" she said in a sing song voice. Zero's mouth fell open in surprise for a moment, before he grinned. A predatory light was starting to glow in his amethyst eyes, making Yuuki wonder if it had been a good idea after all…

Her eyes closed again as Zero coaxed her lips open with his own. His tongue searched for the fruit and he had just touched it when Yuuki used her tongue to swipe the grape to the inside of her cheek. Zero could feel the giggles she was trying to keep inside as she hid the small globe behind her tongue protectively. Zero persisted, trying to pull her tongue away with his own, making Yuuki giggle into his mouth as their tongues played football with the grape. She was laughing too hard to concentrate and Zero's tongue curled around the hapless fruit in seconds, sucking it into his mouth. Then he pulled away slightly, teasingly holding the grape between his lips.

It was a good thing his bloodlust was no longer a factor here… Yuuki tried to stop giggling long enough to pout.

"Bite it" said Zero, sounding every bit as indistinct as Yuuki had, his breathing rather faster than usual.

Yuuki reached forward and pressing her lips to Zero's, bit into the fruit. After they'd each chewed and swallowed, Yuuki leaned forward again. This time, their kiss was grape flavoured.

When the kiss ended and Zero had pulled back reluctantly, Yuuki's cheeks were softly flushed and her lips just a little swollen. But her wide brown eyes sparkled with happiness.

"I love you, Yuuki" Zero said quietly, giving her a quick peck on her nose. Yuuki smiled. "I love you, Zero" she echoed. Sighing happily, she reached for the sandwiches as Zero lay back down on the grass, but with his head on her lap this time.

"Lazybones!" she teased, handing him a sandwich before taking one for herself.

"Hmm" was all Zero said, surrounded by her soft sweet scent. It was utter bliss lying here like this but the best part was feeling Yuuki's slender fingers in his hair.

Half an hour later, the sun had disappeared behind dark clouds which were rolling swiftly across the sky. Yuuki ignored them because Zero had fallen asleep on her lap. She'd never experienced this before, but it was utterly delightful having that silver head pillowed on her lap and those gorgeous amethyst eyes shut trustingly in slumber.

But thunder growled and those eyes same opened immediately. Zero frowned a little as he glanced up at the sky, then all around, before sitting up in alarm. "Yuuki, look at the sky, it's going to pour! Why didn't you wake me? What's the time now?"

Yuuki bit her lip even as she shifted her legs, wincing a little from being in the same position for so long. "You looked so peaceful sleeping, Zero" she mumbled as she reached for the picnic basket.

Well, he sure didn't look peaceful any longer – Zero's scowl was back in place as he swiftly started throwing everything back into the basket. Within a few seconds, fat drops of rain had started falling and by the time he'd put everything in and pulled Yuuki to her feet, it was already pouring.

As they ran down the hill back to the main building hand in hand, Zero couldn't help recalling Kaname's parting words to him - "Take good care of Yuuki" and he sighed inwardly. I hope she doesn't get a fever this time, he thought grimly to himself.

- o -

Only, of course she did.

Yuuki had been in bed with high fever for the past two days, courtesy of getting drenched in the heavy rain. She sighed and pouted. Why was it that Zero could get caught in the same rain and never suffer so much as a sniffle? Then her pout smoothed out into a small rueful smile. That was because her boyfriend – and here, she hugged the word to herself in delight – had a much stronger constitution than herself. Well, the fact that he also wasn't human anymore helped too.

Yuuki sighed again. Her fever had gone down last night and had stayed down the whole of this morning. She'd changed her pyjamas at least twice since sweating heavily this morning and since she hadn't even washed, was now feeling sticky and uncomfortable. Her hair felt greasy and limp and she would have gladly traded all – well, not all, but a good portion of her charcoal drawing pencils for a good shampooing job right now.

When the Chairman knocked on her door a few minutes later bringing her a light lunch on a tray, he was greeted by the sight of Yuuki sitting up in bed with a most determined look in her large brown eyes.

"Father, I want to take a bath" she started.

Chairman Cross walked into the room and placed the tray on her desk. "Are you sure, Yuuki? Your fever's only just gone down, you know" he said mildly. He crossed over to the bed to place a hand on her forehead. Yuuki pouted. "I feel so sticky, I want a bath _now_"

The older man hesitated. The last time he'd agreed to a similar demand was when Yuuki was about eight years old, and she'd had fallen asleep in the bath. He had just stepped out to get a towel and a clean change of clothing for her and when he returned, she was leaning weakly over the tub, gasping and choking for air. Luckily, she'd woken up as soon as her head had gone under but he hadn't quite forgotten the sheer panic that had gripped his heart at that moment.

He definitely didn't want a re-occurrence of that but at the same time, Yuuki wasn't eight years old anymore and he doubted she would welcome his presence in the bathroom while she bathed.

"Please?" wheedled Yuuki with the best smile she could come up with at the moment.

As her father still hesitated, Yuuki ran her fingers through her hair. "Look at my hair, it's so greasy already, ugh!"

He sighed. "Well, uh, maybe this evening? If your temperature stays down?" He offered his suggestion with the air of one promising a rare treat and Yuuki pouted again, dangerously close to petulant tears. "That's still a few hours away! I want a bath NOW!"

As the Chairman wavered, Yuuki added quickly "I'll use hot water, I promise!"

"Well, I still – "

"I'll use the hairdryer immediately after that!"

"Well, that's good but – "

An exaggerated sigh sounded from the open door. Both of them swung around to see Zero standing there with his thumbs in his jeans pockets, his hair and T-shirt damp with sweat from helping out at the stables. His eyes flicked from the starting-to-get-panicky look on the Chairman's face to the I-want-a-bath-now look on Yuuki's face, then back again.

Zero shook his head somewhat resignedly, his eyes drifting to Yuuki's face once more. "Father, you won't win this one" he murmured.

Yuuki smiled brightly. Zero was on her side, she knew it! Ah, she could feel the warm bathwater already…

_They were both ganging up on him_. The Chairman fixed Zero with a look. "I told you what happened the last time she took a bath when she was sick, remember? And she can have one this evening if -"

Yuuki's pout returned. "That's _hours_ away" she grumbled. "And I won't faint, I promise!"

Zero lifted an eyebrow at her. "That's not something you can promise, Yuuki"

"That's right" agreed the Chairman hurriedly.

_They were both ganging up on her__._ Yuuki immediately switched to her best 'pretty-please' look with a winsome smile. "Well, if someone could just be with me, there wouldn't be a problem, would there?" Resisting the sudden urge to giggle, Yuuki shot both of them a triumphant look - she had them there. After all, she wasn't an eight year old child anymore… they couldn't possibly stay in the bathroom with her now, could they? She grinned somewhat smugly at the thought.

"I will."

Yuuki's smile disappeared as she inhaled sharply, her mouth falling open before she recovered herself and glared indignantly at Zero. He had a determined look in his eyes which Yuuki recognised at once.

"Done" said the Chairman promptly, causing Yuuki to gasp and turn the same indignant look on him. "Father!"

Zero smirked at her. "Well, do you want a bath or not?" he asked, his arms now folded across his chest.

Chairman Cross was fussily arranging and re-arranging the things on the tray, looking as if he didn't quite believe what he'd just agreed to. Even though Zero and Yuuki, his two adopted children, were now most assuredly a couple and with Kaname's blessing no less, had he just agreed for Zero to be in the same bathroom with Yuuki? While she _bathed_?

"Well, of course I want, well, that is…" Yuuki dwindled off, her indignation vanishing as she caught sight of her Father's flushed face. A giggle threatened to escape her again and she swallowed it.

"Make up your mind already, Yuuki" said Zero, looking at his wristwatch with an exaggerated sigh. He wanted to take White Lily out for a quick ride before coming back to shower…

Yuuki decided to grab the opportunity and tossed her head. "Fine. But no peeking!" she admonished Zero with a stern look. The Chairman suddenly looked much relieved by this. "Of course he won't" he agreed heartily and strode to the door. He wouldn't have been so relieved if he had seen the meaningful look Zero gave Yuuki and her answering blush in reply.

Because after what had happened in the bathroom on the night of Kaname's birthday party, and in the hotel bathroom when they went to the bank, mere 'peeking'… was nothing. Not anymore.

-- To Be Continued --


	49. Chap 21: Zero's Promise Absolved Part 2

**Author Notes:** Part 2... and Zero closed his eyes the entire time, right? Well, he tried :D

-- Chapter Start --

Zero and Yuuki were still staring at each other after their Father had left the room. After a long moment, Yuuki cleared her throat. "Father said yes" she said faintly. Zero nodded solemnly, still standing beside the door. "Yeah" he confirmed. The auburn haired girl lowered her head and bit her lip before peeping up at Zero. He had folded his arms and was now leaning against the wall. "Have you changed your mind?" he asked her.

Yuuki blushed again. Actually, she could remember Zero staying by her side and constantly replacing the wet folded handkerchief on her forehead for most of the past forty eight hours. She could even vaguely remember him changing her pyjama top last night and giving her upper body a cool sponge bath but... well... that was different - she was barely conscious then. She was fully awake now and he was going to be in the same bathroom with her while she bathed…

Zero sighed, letting his arms drop back to his sides. "Yuuki, have you changed your mind?" he asked her again, his voice noticeably softer. Yuuki looked up now, then smiled. "No. I trust you, Zero, you know that" she returned just as softly. That small smile played about Zero's lips again then he nodded and opened the door. "I'll go run your bath while you eat your lunch"

Yuuki nodded before getting to her feet. Her legs were still feeling rather rubbery as she walked slowly over to her desk but she brushed it off – all she needed was some food inside her and she would be as right as rain.

- o -

Zero followed Yuuki into the bathroom. He closed the door behind him and watched as she walked over to the bathtub in the far corner and hesitated beside it, clutching the towel and a clean change of clothes in her hands. Without a word, Zero strode to the wooden bench that stood on the left of the tub, placed perpendicular to it, against the other wall. He sat down on the further side of the bench and turned to face the sink in the other corner, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Go on, get inside before the water cools, Yuuki" Zero's face was unsmiling now and Yuuki shot him a quick glance before placing her towel and clothes on the other end of the bench, nearer to the tub. It was three quarters filled with warm water, the surface covered with white foamy bubbles – Yuuki could smell her favourite liquid bath and sniffed the fragrance appreciatively before glancing at Zero's back. He could be really thoughtful when he wanted to be… her bottle of the same liquid bath and her shampoo stood on the bench next to her pink teddy bear shaped loofah. A plastic bowl floated in a pail of clean warm water beside the tub for her to rinse off.

Yuuki unbuttoned her pyjama top then glanced at Zero's back again. He could feel the hesitation coming from her and sighed exaggeratedly. "Get in already, Yuuki. I won't look, OK?" he said, before adding "After all, I've seen most of you anyway..."

A soft gasp sounded and Zero turned around. Yuuki was clutching both sides of her pyjama top together, trying hard to look affronted. "Last night, you mean?" she said, her voice quavering slightly.

Zero didn't bother to deny that he'd changed her top last night. "Last night and many times before" His voice was even, brooking no denial from her and Yuuki bit her lip, goose bumps errupting over her skin in a sudden frisson of awareness. "Yuuki... you can't have forgotten those times?"

Zero's voice was an odd mix of uncertainty and teasing but his amethyst gaze and voice were just too... knowing, and Yuuki had to pause for a moment before she could say "I haven't forgotten, Zero." But she looked directly at him all the same, a faint blush warming her cheeks as past erotic memories played in her mind.

After a moment, Zero turned back to face the sink, and the spell was broken. Yuuki quickly stripped off her pyjama top and trousers, tossing both onto the bench beside her clean clothes. Quickly, she lifted one slender leg into the tub then the other, before sinking down into the fragrant sudsy water, thankful to find that the bubbles covered her chest adequately.

"OK" Yuuki said rather breathlessly. The water was actually a little too warm to get in all at once but it felt heavenly, and it was much more preferable than being... exposed.

There was a short pause before Zero turned to face her, drawing his left leg up and resting his heel on the edge of the bench. He propped his left arm on his knee before leaning back against the tiled wall. The air in the bathroom was slightly warm and a drop of perspiration trickled down Zero's lean cheek. He swiped at it impatiently, causing Yuuki to glance over her right shoulder at him. Zero fixed her with a stern look. "Hurry up"

Yuuki pouted and grabbed the plastic bowl in the pail. She used it to scoop the clean warm water over her hair then squirted a generous amount of shampoo onto her palm. Slowly, she massaged the fragrant liquid into her wet hair, staring at the far wall.

The familiar scent drifted to Zero's nose in the warm air and he couldn't stop himself from staring at Yuuki's back. At the slender bare arms lifted to her head. At the back of that creamy pale neck now bared completely as she swept up her hair while massaging her scalp. At the graceful lines of her naked shoulders and delicate shoulder blades, glistening with drops of water and rivulets of soapsuds that trailed enticingly down her skin into the warm soapy bathwater…

This wasn't a good idea at all - Zero swallowed and forced himself to turn away but his other senses were still tuned to the girl in the tub just four feet away from him. To each sound that she made and each breath that she took. Even the very soft humming of a love song under her breath seemed to waft over his very skin, weaving its spell over him and leaving him achingly aware of her…

Yuuki was oblivious to Zero's silent suffering. She sighed with pure happiness as she shampooed her hair thoroughly, even scratching her scalp lightly with her fingernails to relieve the itch that had built up since last night. Ah, this was _bliss... _she couldn't wait to get herself clean, and she would never take her daily shower for granted ever again. Finally satisfied that her hair couldn't get any cleaner, Yuuki scooped more of the clean water over her head, rinsing off the shampoo. She squeezed the excess water from her hair and sighed happily.

"Are you done?"

Zero's voice behind her sounded bored, even impatient, and Yuuki frowned. "Of course not" She reached for the loofah now and squirted some of the liquid bath onto it. But her arms felt leaden and Yuuki realised that she was actually tired out from just shampooing her hair. Perhaps her Father had been right after all - she should have waited until this evening to have her bath. Oh well, what's done is done... Yuuki put the bottle back onto the bench then let her arms slip back into the water. Perhaps if she just closed her eyes for a couple of minutes...

"Hey, you sleeping already?" Yuuki's eyes blinked open, focusing on a concerned looking Zero, who was now squatting beside the tub, looking down at her. Quickly, she sat up, causing the bathwater to almost splash out. "Of course not... ooh!" Yuuki glanced down at herself, exhaling in relief to see that the soapy surface of the bathwater was still doing its job in providing much needed cover. Instinctively, she slid down another couple of inches.

Zero noticed her movement but decided not to mention it. "Are you OK, Yuuki?"

Yuuki tossed her head. "Of course I am, why shouldn't I be?" she asked, almost haughtily, her heartbeat accelerating at the fact that Zero was right next to her.

"Oh, I don't know... maybe it's the fact that you've been leaning back with your eyes closed for the past five minutes instead of actually bathing?" The deep concern in Zero's eyes took away the sharp edge of the sarcasm in his tone.

Yuuki blinked again. Five minutes? Had she really fallen asleep then? "Oh…! Er, well I'm fine… really…" She looked around for her teddy bear loofah which was now floating belly up at the other edge of the tub. Zero's long finger nudged it closer to her. Yuuki's fingers closed over the sponge then she glanced up uncertainly at Zero who was still crouching beside the tub. She raised a delicate eyebrow enquiringly and Zero's lips twisted as he got up and moved back to the bench. "Hurry up" he said shortly.

Yuuki sniffed in reply. Then a mischievous thought uncurled in her mind and she smiled. Oh well... why not?

"Zero? Do you think you could… perhaps… do my back for me?" she asked softly, staring down at the bathwater. She could feel her cheeks heating up again but a part of her wanted Zero to be near her once more... wanted Zero touching her once more...

There was a rather pregnant pause. Then Zero was kneeling beside the tub once more, clutching the slick rim of the tub and looking rather stunned. "Are you sure?" he asked. Yuuki looked up at him, her brown eyes wide but she didn't say anything. Zero gave a resigned sigh before taking the sponge from her unresisting fingers.

"Um... Zero, what are you doing?" asked Yuuki - that was a rethorical question if ever there was one, but Zero answered her promptly "Making up your mind for you" He moved closer to the bench and automatically, Yuuki bent forward, drawing her legs up and hugging her knees.

Zero moved the soapy sponge over her back, his movements brisk and impersonal. For the first five seconds. Then they slowed, and gentled. And slowed some more, and gentled even more. Until the sponge was gliding languidly over Yuuki's bare shoulders and back. And even though she couldn't fail to notice the change in his movements, she didn't say anything but leaned forward, resting her chin on her knees as her eyes drifted shut. Zero's touch was so soothing and she felt so relaxed and warm...

The silver haired prefect was struggling to keep his eyes on the bathwater and not on the temptingly creamy expanse of soapy skin. Yuuki's naturally sweet scent reached out to him, mixed with the smell of her shampoo and bath, teasing his senses mercilessly. His arm disappeared into the soapy water as he ran the sponge over her lower back until the top of her buttocks, then back up again. Then he paused.

Still staring fixedly at the soapy bubbles floating on the water, Yuuki held out her right arm, which was nearest to him. Without a word, Zero grasped her wrist in his left hand and ran the sponge from her armpit all the way down to her fingertips, then over the back of her hand and up her slender arm again to her shoulder. Yuuki let her soapy arm drop back into the water and glanced up at Zero. She could hear that his breathing was definitely faster than normal – hers was too. But Zero's gaze was too... intent... and Yuuki ducked her head, her cheeks still warm as she held out her other arm to him without speaking. Zero had to lean further across the tub as he soaped her other arm and she kept her knees pressed to her chest for coverage.

Another pause, then Zero was holding out the sponge to her, his eyes now unreadable. "Your... chest" he said evenly. Yuuki's mouth formed a silent 'o' and she quickly grabbed the sponge from him. Zero got up and went back to sit on the bench, his T-shirt even more damp than before.

Yuuki ran the sponge over her breasts, stomach and sides. Only a moment of hesitation, then she held the dripping sponge over the edge of the tub again. "My legs, Zero" she said, her voice a little shaky, darting a quick glance at Zero as he knelt down beside the tub again. "Are you testing me, Yuuki?" he demanded quietly.

Yuuki's head jerked up. She was still charmingly flushed but there was a look in her eyes Zero had never seen before as he glared at her. Then Yuuki glanced away. "Maybe I am…" she admitted honestly, biting her lip. There was a moment of silence before Yuuki snatched back her hand with a muttered "Sorry"

But Zero was quicker. Long fingers plucked the sponge from her fingers. "I'll do it"

Yuuki started to protest but stopped and straightened her legs when Zero plunged his hand into the bathwater again. He found her right ankle and ran the sponge from her foot, up her slender leg, past her knee and over her thigh before moving downwards again to cover the outside of her leg. After skimming the sole of her foot and her toes, Zero moved the sponge inwards and it glided up her leg once more.

Yuuki held her breath, helplessly caught by Zero's intense gaze as she felt the sponge travel up the inside of her leg, past her knee and onto her inner thigh, her sensitive skin quivering as Zero's fingers brushed against it. Goose bumps of awareness rippled over her wet skin. The sponge slowed down and finally stopped very, very close to her most intimate parts. Yuuki's small hands were gripping the sides of the bathtub, knuckles showing white as she sat up straighter, causing the bathwater to slosh around the tub again. "Zero…!" she hissed, colour flooding her cheeks.

Zero grimaced. He moved the sponge away and started running it over her other leg. Yuuki let out a shaky breath and sagged down into the bathwater again.

The sponge travelled up and down her other leg before moving inwards again, travelling to almost the same place as before, but on the other side. Yuuki's wet fingers tightened on the rim of the bathtub again. "Zero…" she implored but this time, her tone sounded like she wanted him to continue.

Zero paused, his breathing more ragged than before. Then he glanced up at her, his eyes half hidden behind his silvery hair, his expression unreadable. "Have you had enough, Yuuki?" he asked softly. Zero was testing her, she knew it. And Yuuki being Yuuki, she tossed her head defiantly. "I dare you to!" she challenged, her gaze directly on him now.

Zero actually looked startled for a moment, then he raised an eyebrow at her knowingly, a smile tilting his lips. And Yuuki gulped. The sponge slid over and rested right between her thighs, making Yuuki inhale sharply. Zero stopped at once, waiting for her reaction. Both their quickened breathing sounded loud and shallow in the warm fragrant air.

"Zero..." Yuuki whispered, her eyes huge. She wanted him to touch her. She wanted to feel the magic of his fingers on her flesh once more. So she didn't push him away… but she couldn't say it out loud either.

Zero didn't look knowing anymore - he just looked lost. "Yuuki, I promised, remember?" he finally whispered, his eyes telling her that he ached to touch her there as well. Yuuki's eyes closed for a moment. Yes, she remembered - she had him make that promise to her on the night he confessed his love. Then the brown eyes opened once more and Yuuki's right hand released its grip on the tub, sliding into the water.

Zero sighed, feeling a strange mix of relief and disappointment that Yuuki had had enough and was going to push his hand away.

Only she didn't.

Instead, trembling fingers found the sponge and pulled it out of Zero's unresisting fingers before releasing it. The loofah bobbed right back to the surface of the bathwater between them - a soapy, teddy bear shaped evidence that there was no longer any barrier between Zero's fingers and Yuuki.

Amazed amethyst eyes slid to the sponge then back to Yuuki's eyes. She inhaled shakily – she could feel his fingers trembling on her skin but other than that fine tremor, Zero hadn't moved. He was still waiting to be released from the promise he'd made her that night, and Yuuki's tongue darted out to moist suddenly dry lips.

"Yuuki?" whispered Zero, still looking lost.

Yuuki swallowed. "Zero - please... touch me there" she finally whispered.

Zero's eyes closed as he breathed a prayer before getting up. He strode to the bathroom door and locked it before walking back to the tub, Yuuki's eyes following him all the while. When Zero was beside her once more, her eyes fluttered shut, her body tingling as she felt Zero's fingers finally moving on her. Tentative at first, still trembling against her. Then probing and searching more directly but very gently. Finally, Zero moved faster, with growing skill and confidence but always with that same gentleness. His long fingers searched and stroked, making Yuuki's breath hitch in her throat as she gripped the edge of the tub again with both hands.

Slowly, her thighs parted, resting against the wet sides of the tub. Heat surged in her body, centering on where Zero's fingers were. A soft moan started in her throat and Yuuki head arched back. The warm water rose and fell against her, caressing her wet heated skin and exposing her breasts with each wave as she shifted restlessly in the tub.

Zero loved watching Yuuki and his gaze was intent, almost fierce as he read every subtle signal she sent to him, conscious or not. Watching for every nuance, every slight shift of her body as she moved in the water. Learning what made her mewl deep in her throat, learning what made her breath increase into a light, soft pant. Zero stroked her faster now, the pressure of his fingers firmer, more confident, his other hand gripping the side of the tub for balance.

Yuuki couldn't stop her hips from arching up into his hand, her gaze caught by his. She needed this, even though it meant the water couldn't shield her nakedness anymore. Her body was melting, desire singing in her veins and pulsing in that special place that burned with the skill of Zero's fingers. It was like before, only more intense, submerged as she was in warm soapy water and surrounded by warm misty air. It was like before, only better now because she knew that Zero touching her was as right as it felt, and she wanted him to touch her as much as he wanted to.

But Zero wasn't holding her and she knew that this at least, was still missing. Yuuki released one hand, holding it out imploringly to him. "Zero" she panted. "Hold – hold me, please!"

Without pausing, Zero rose up on his knees, his hand also releasing the side of the tub to curve around Yuuki's wet shoulders. With a sob, she rose up onto her knees in the bath as well, letting Zero draw her close to his chest, his T-shirt damp from his perspiration. Zero's fingers were still working their magic against Yuuki's swollen flesh as she pressed her face into his chest, panting against him, clutching at him as the tension in her built… and built… to an unbearable level, squeezing her body tight, her limbs quivering as she gasped for breath.

It was bliss… no, it was torture… And finally, all that beautiful, tight and unbearable tension exploded in Yuuki's body, heat radiating out and covering every inch of her body. Yuuki shuddered as she cried out, her voice muffled against Zero's chest. He didn't stop but instinctively timed his strokes to her shudders, his fingers sliding against her, making that moment of sublime bliss last… and last… and last…

Until at length, Yuuki sagged against him, her arms limp, her body trembling uncontrollably. Zero withdrew his hand and wrapped both arms around her, supporting her weight, dropping kisses onto her wet hair as he rocked her gently, not saying anything, his ragged breathing ruffling her hair as his heart continued pounding in his chest. Yuuki kept her eyes closed, loving the uneven thump of his heartbeat that told her Zero wasn't immune to what had just happened.

Still quivering with aftershocks of pleasure, Yuuki finally lifted her head and looked up at Zero. He smiled down at her, amethyst eyes filled with glowing pleasure and satisfaction at seeing her cheeks flushed and her eyes hazy with satisfied desire. There was no fear in them now and Zero bent down to claim her lips in a reverent kiss. "I love you, Yuuki" he murmured against her lips. Yuuki smiled. "I love you, Zero" she whispered breathlessly. Zero kissed her again, then sighed. "Come on, stand up and I'll rinse you off" He stood up, one hand still holding hers, but she didn't move.

"Uhm, turn around first, Zero" she implored, a vestige of lingering shyness still in her wide eyes. Zero looked down at her, then bent down to scoop a bowlful of clean water. He stood there waiting, one eyebrow raised.

Yuuki's mouth fell open, despite what had just happened. "Zero….!" she said in a rather agonised whisper, but he was adamant. "I've seen everything, Yuuki" he said evenly. "And the water's getting cold"

Yuuki's cheeks were on fire as she bit her lip. Finally, she sighed and stood up, water sluicing off her. Zero's mouth went completely dry at the enticing sight of soapsuds on glowing wet skin but he didn't say anything as he rinsed them off with the clean water. White Lily could wait a little longer - he definitely needed a cold, cold shower now.

Finally tossing the bowl into the tub, Zero reached for her towel. But Yuuki's legs were still shaky and she gave a small cry as her knees buckled. Zero moved fast, his hands closing over her arms again before lifting her bodily out of the water to stand on the tiled floor.

Amethyst eyes raked greedily over Yuuki's enchanting figure as she stood before him, completely exposed, water dripping over sweet curves and graceful lines, her eyes huge and her mouth still open in a small oval of surprise. Then Zero groaned and swung her around so that her back faced him. He grabbed her towel and dried her hair and body off quickly, his movements almost frantic in his haste before he wrapped the large terry cloth around her and tucked the end in firmly above her breasts.

"OK" he said, his voice more than a little unsteady. "Go on, get to your room"

Yuuki stayed where she was, then she peeped over her shoulder. "This sort of reminds me of last time, Zero" she said, her voice very soft. A sigh wafted over her shoulder and warm arms snaked around her waist. "I know" Zero's voice sounded rueful and Yuuki looked up at him. It had seemed so long ago when Zero had burst in on her one day when he heard her screaming… and his eyes told her he remembered what had happened then.

Zero was hugging her tightly now, her back against his chest. Yuuki's body tingled once again, her nipples hardening as she felt the evidence of his desire pressing against her. "Ah… I don't think I can walk, Zero" she said, trying for an innocent tone that sounded anything but.

"I knew you would say that."

Yuuki kept silent but smiled hopefully up at him. Zero shook his head, a rueful smile on his lips. "I spoil you too much, Yuuki"

She smiled at that. "I know, and I love it" she said, breaking into soft laughter as Zero swept her up into his arms, holding her against his damp T-shirt. She unlocked the door and pushed it open, thankful to find the Chairman nowhere in sight as Zero carried her to her room.

"Your shirt's wet, Zero"

"I know, never mind"

Zero deposited her gently on the bed before walking to the door once more. "I'll go bring your clean clothes" he threw over his shoulder. He returned in record time, tossing them to her lap then turned to leave the room.

"Wait - Zero, where are you going?"

"To clean up the bathroom, Yuuki... you made the whole floor wet" Yuuki blushed at the meaningful look in his eyes. "That was your fault, Zero" she said softly. Zero smiled too and took a step closer to her. "My fault? Should we try that again and see what happens?" he asked softly, a sudden glint in his eyes.

Yuuki started as she caught Zero's meaning and blushed even more. "Uhm, no thanks - that was, um, quite enough…" she mumbled, biting her lip as Zero chuckled. Yuuki was enchanting when she was flustered like this and Zero resisted the urge to pull her into his arms. Quickly, he moved towards the door. "I'm going to change. When I come back, I want to see you dressed and in bed, you got that?" he said, his voice as stern as he could make it before going out and closing the door.

Yuuki was already in bed when Zero returned from his shower, dressed in a clean T-shirt over his jeans. He walked over to sit on the edge of her bed, looking down at Yuuki until a soft flush rose on her cheeks. "What is it?" she whispered.

"Did you like that?" Zero asked, and there was no mistaking what he meant by 'that'.

"You know…" demured Yuuki, her fingers plucking at her blanket. She peeped up in time to see Zero's grin. "Yeah, I know" he agreed and Yuuki punched him in the arm, even though she wasn't strong enough for it to hurt. She followed it up with huge yawn and Zero's grin widened. "Well, that should make for a nice afternoon nap at least!" he teased her.

Yuuki pouted but turned it into a smile as Zero bent down to brush his lips against hers. "See you this evening, dearest. I love you" he murmured against her lips.

Yuuki smiled sleepily. "I love you, Zero" she murmured as her eyes drifted shut, feeling like she was the luckiest girl in the world.

-- Chapter End --


	50. Chap 22: Learning More

**Author Notes:** Well, another update for Hold Me, hope it's still good... enjoy! I don't think there will be anymore angst for this lovely couple, just sweetness. More comments to be found in you-know-where.

-- Chapter Start --

"Zero, had your shower already?"

The tall, silver haired boy paused as he reached for his room door and glanced towards his right. His damp towel was slung around his bare shoulders and he was dressed only in jeans.

"Yup" Zero's amethyst eyes warmed as he smiled at the face peeping at him from the next room, silky auburn strands framing a sweet, heart shaped face.

"Good!" Yuuki grinned in response and came out from her room, toting her sketchbook and pencil case under one arm.

"Where're you going?" asked Zero, nodding at the sketchbook. Yuuki shrugged as she followed him into his own room and closed the door behind her. Zero guessed she wanted him to follow her and made no comment as he hung his towel on the hook behind his door and walked over to his closet to get a clean T-shirt.

"Oh, wait a… uhm, that is -"

"What is it?" Zero glanced over his shoulder. Yuuki smiled a little deprecatingly. "Uh, never mind… " she muttered as she placed her things on his desk.

"So, where do you wanna go?" Zero asked her, his voice slightly muffled by the T-shirt he was pulling over his head.

"Nowhere" Yuuki said promptly, making the silver haired boy stare at her suspiciously even as he tugged down his shirt. "What, you gonna sketch my room then?" he asked as he walked closer and ruffled her hair. Yuuki pushed his hand away before running her own fingers through her auburn strands. "Nooo…" she dragged out the word mysteriously.

"The view from my window, then?" asked Zero next, nodding at the window next to his desk as his hand reached for hers. "No…" said Yuuki again, deftly stepping out of reach. Her eyes were starting to twinkle, and that made Zero look at her uncertainly. Then he shook his head. "Huh uh, not me" he vetoed promptly.

"Aw, please, Zero, please!" Yuuki started whining almost immediately. As Zero shook his head again, she pouted. "You _never_ let me sketch you. Father does, Yori does, even Kaname-ni-sama does… " Yuuki crossed her fingers behind her back – she did plan on asking her brother to sit for her one day so it wasn't exactly a lie. "…but not you, Zero! Why?"

Zero pursed his lips and gave her a level look. "I'm not worth sketching, Yuuki. Besides, you see me everyday…"

Kaname was still at the Ichijo mansion with Takuma – Chairman Cross had mentioned just last night that they would be meeting up with the other nobles from Cross Academy at a gala party Takuma's grandfather was hosting tonight before returning here – not that Zero was interested to attend any such party with vampire nobility… He was happy enough to remain in Cross Academy as long as Yuuki was here too, where both he and Chairman Cross could keep an eye on her. That was a responsibility the silver haired prefect took seriously, even without the protective pureblood reminding him of it.

Yuuki continued to look at him in her usual stubborn manner. And after a moment, Zero sighed and relented. _Pushover_… he derided himself silently. Yuuki brightened up immediately as she noted his capitulation. "Oh, thank you, Zero! On the bed, please..."

Zero rolled his eyes and shrugged before stretching out on his bed. He sighed, looking at the ceiling. "This is silly, Yuuki, and you know it."

"No, it isn't" Yuuki didn't even glance up, occupied with moving his desk chair closer to the bed. Zero turned to face her and rose up onto one elbow, propping his head on his hand. He continued looking at her until she finally glanced up. "Why? What's wrong?" she asked.

Zero huffed a little. He tried to look annoyed, failed, tried to look offended, failed again and ended up looking a little embarrassed and exasperated instead. But adorably so. "Yuuki, _why_ do you want another sketch of me?"

"Because we're on _holiday_. And I'm finally free to sketch to my heart's content now!" Zero's expression didn't change and Yuuki hurriedly added "And you're free too, I know you've finished all your chores for today."

Zero snorted lightly. "Sorry, not good enough"

Then, as Yuuki pouted, he added in a reasonable tone. "Besides, you've done dozens of sketches of me already!" They both knew he was referring to the half filled folder of sketches of him that he'd found in her room previously.

"Well, I want another one!" Yuuki insisted. Zero merely raised an eyebrow at her. "Why? Give me one good reason"

"Uh… because you're one of the most handsome guys I've ever met?" _Well, Kaname-ni-sama is very good looking too._

Zero's heart gave a funny lurch at what Yuuki said before melting into mush but he forced himself to continue to look stern. "Is that it?"

"Uhm… even more good looking than 'Idol-sempai'?" Zero rolled his eyes, looking a little offended now and Yuuki giggled.

"OK, as handsome as Kaname-ni-sama, then!" she tried once more and Zero managed to look indignant even though he actually didn't know of anyone who could actually best the pureblood in the looks department at least.

Yuuki pouted again. Then suddenly, she smiled. A slowly growing smile that lit up her eyes and left Zero completely enchanted. "Because now I know I love you, Zero" she said simply. She got up from her chair and took two steps over to the bed to drop a light kiss on his surprised mouth.

Deftly stepping out of his reach, Yuuki returned to her seat again, tilted her head to one side and smiled sweetly. "Is that a good enough reason, Zero?" The silver haired boy smiled in response. "Yeah, it is" he said softly. He made himself more comfortable on his bed and Yuuki's smile widened into a grin as she flipped open her sketchbook to a blank page and selected a pencil.

There was a comfortable silence for a while save for the faint sounds of the soft charcoal pencil gliding over paper. An outline of Zero's head, neck and shoulders swiftly took shape on paper, then Yuuki added his silver hair, those beautiful, intense, amethyst eyes, his well shaped nose and surprisingly full lips. She took her time detailing his metal ear piercings, her lips pursed in concentration before she moved to his neck. Yuuki started to draw the collar of Zero's T-shirt then paused, her teeth catching at her lower lip.

"Uhm, Zero?"

Zero's gaze and attention were focused on the delicate shape of Yuuki's ear before her small white teeth holding onto her lip caught his attention. He looked up into her eyes. "Hmm?"

Yuuki hesitated, her cheeks warming with colour. That made Zero raise an eyebrow at her again. "What is it?"

"Would you… take off your shirt, Zero? Please?" asked Yuuki impulsively, the fingers of her right hand tightening on her pencil. Inwardly, she cringed. Yes, she and Zero had done some pretty wild things together and at least one of them would inevitably end up shirtless at one point or another but that was mostly Zero, or at least Zero doing it to her, and not the other way around. Not that she minded of course, but… still… she'd never actually _asked_ him to remove his shirt before…

Zero blinked at her. "What?" he asked, wondering if his overactive imagination was playing tricks on him. Yuuki's cheeks warmed a little. "Take off your shirt" she repeated, her tone softer and a little unsure.

Zero's mouth fell open – it looked like his hearing hadn't deserted him after all. "You want to sketch me _naked_?" he asked, torn between being aghast and just plain shocked.

Yuuki's mouth parted in a small oval of surprise before she looked indignant and even more embarrassed than before. "No! Of course not! Just… you know… just shirtless… that's all…" she mumbled, quickly staring down at her half finished sketch. It was all Zero's fault for having such a nice, toned chest, she thought almost resentfully.

Silence again. After a moment, Yuuki peeped up at Zero. He shook his head at her, his lips twitching. Then he shrugged and sat up. "Why not?" he agreed before pulling his T-shirt over his head in one swift movement. Tossing it down beside him, he lay back down again as before, propping his head on his hand.

"Go ahead" Zero invited, his eyes frankly telling he didn't mind her request in the least. He waited and watched, a small grin tilting his lips as Yuuki's wide brown eyes roved intently over his bare shoulders and chest with unconcealed curiosity even though she'd seen him bare chested before.

"Well?" he asked softly after a while, his heartbeat increasing a little as her eyes seemed entranced by his flat stomach and the faint outline of muscle she could see there. "Like the view?"

Yuuki started, her gaze flying up to meet Zero's knowing amethyst ones. She blushed deeply as she saw his grin. But a moment later, she smiled and nodded. "Very much" she managed a little huskily.

There was a heated but slightly awkward moment there. The intense look in Zero's eyes reminded Yuuki of what had happened a few days ago when he had accompanied her into the bathroom because she had insisted on having a bath and washing her hair after her fever broke. Yuuki glanced down at the paper to break their gazes, her cheeks still flaming.

Both of them were silent for a moment as she erased the outline of the shirt before sketching again, deliberately keeping her gaze on Zero's body instead of his face. Her pencil flew swiftly as she outlined his broad shoulders and toned, muscular arms. But when it came to filling in the details of his chest and shading the lean planes, her movements slowed down. And slowed even more as she penciled in his nipples and lightly shaded them using a softer pencil.

Yuuki bit her lip again. She'd seen Zero's nipples before, or more accurately, were aware that he _had_ them, but she'd never really looked at them before. They were… well… Yuuki didn't really know how to describe them, but she knew she liked them. And she also liked that soft colour that was half pink, half beige and looked… beautiful. Yuuki knew she was staring at Zero's chest in a most unlady-like way but she told herself that it was necessary now because she wanted to capture their likeness accurately, unaware that her pencil strokes had already stopped completely. She just sat there and stared.

Zero swallowed. He couldn't fail to notice that Yuuki's wide brown eyes were now locked onto a certain part of his chest, and he couldn't stop his body from reacting. Yuuki's eyes were still curious… but admiring as well and he shifted a little. That made her look up at him.

Zero gave her a crooked smile. "Look all you want" he invited, his voice huskier than usual. Yuuki blushed again. "I was" she admitted, before her gaze slid to his chest once more. Zero's breath hitched a little. He shifted inwards, moving closer to the wall. "Do you want a closer look?" he asked.

Yuuki blushed a shade deeper but she nodded. There wasn't any reason why she couldn't, right? Getting up, she placed her sketchbook and pencils on the chair then moved over to sit on the bed, her fingers trembling slightly.

"Go on, look all you want" Zero invited again, forcing himself to keep still as Yuuki did just that. But he couldn't stop his body from reacting again and his nipples puckered up under her curious gaze. A rapid blink told him it hadn't escaped Yuuki's notice because she looked up at him now. "Are they also… sensitive?" she asked softly.

"Also?"

"Uh… like mine..."

"Yeah, I think so" Zero conceded, forcing himself to not even smile as Yuuki's gaze drifted down again. "Why don't you… touch them… and see for yourself?" he invited now, his voice a tone lower than before.

Yuuki's eyes flew to his as her mouth formed an oval of surprise again. "Zero!" she tried to sound indignant and scandalised but ended up sounding more than a little tempted. She bit her lip as Zero rolled his eyes again. "Oh, for - just _touch_ me, Yuuki, I won't bite you!"

That made Yuuki look at him suspiciously. "Well, I won't, not now" Zero amended quickly, knowing what she meant. After all, he'd already taken blood from her a couple of days ago. Not that he actually _needed_ it but they'd been kissing and… well…

Still biting her lip, Yuuki changed her mind and shook her head resolutely, starting to get up from bed.

"Now's your chance, you know. After all, I've touched _you_…" Zero coaxed her, unable to hide the mischevious twinkle in his eyes now. Yuuki's eyes flashed to his in a quick, indignant movement. "You've done _more_ than just touch me there, Zero!" she said, frowning as he merely grinned at her. "True" he agreed, his wicked tone causing even more colour to rush into her already heated cheeks. Then Yuuki tossed her head and sat back down again. "Fine!"

Zero held his breath in anticipation as Yuuki's hand reached out. Gentle and slightly trembling fingertips feathered over his right nipple. Zero sucked in his breath, a shiver rippling through him as both his nipples puckered up again in response. Yuuki touched it again, then worried it very, very carefully and lightly between her thumb and index finger. Her eyes darted to Zero's face as he gave a small gasp of surprise. But her smile was more teasing than shy now. "Do you like that?" she asked softly, making Zero feel unforgivably like blushing, of all things. He swallowed again. "Yeah" he whispered, his gaze locked onto hers.

Yuuki smiled but didn't say anything as her hand slowly slid over to his other nipple. Very gradually, not wanting to startle her, Zero pushed himself up to sit, the effort causing the lean muscles in his abdomen to stand out in relief. He leaned back against the wall, holding Yuuki's gaze all the while. "Don't stop" he whispered.

Yuuki nodded and shifted a little closer to him. She couldn't deny she was curious and both hands started roaming over his shoulders and chest now… gliding, stroking, learning… Zero sighed as he leaned back against the wall, thrilled at her shy touches.

It was delightful to be given permission to look and touch whatever caught her fancy and Yuuki knew and appreciated the fact that Zero was refraining from touching her in return. Yes, it looked like his nipples were sensitive. His chest as well, because she could hear the soft intake of Zero's increasingly unsteady breath after breath as her fingertips trailed gently over the smooth skin over his ribs and sides, and across his flat stomach. Yuuki knew her breasts and nipples were sensitive, and she remembered the amazing way he had made her feel previously, in her room and on the hotel bed when he'd used his lips on her. Yes, it wasn't enough to just touch Zero, Yuuki suddenly wanted to do the same thing back to him. Just to see what his reactions were, of course. After all, there was no reason why she shouldn't or couldn't, was there? And she knew he wouldn't mind either…

Zero stopped breathing as Yuuki's hands fell away and she bent her head forward instead. "Yuuki!" he jerked out in surprise. "Are you going to –" She didn't answer him. "But I -" Zero broke off with another gasp of surprise as a small, warm and determined mouth closed over one puckered nub. Dear _God_…! He couldn't believe -

"Yuuki!" Zero gasped, his back arching off the wall as Yuuki sucked at his nipple and flicked it uncertainly with her tongue, wanting to know what he tasted like. Then she released his nipple and straightened up, looking deceptively innocent as she smiled and licked her lips thoughtfully, making Zero stare at her as if he'd never seen her before.

"You taste good, Zero" Yuuki told him matter of factly and Zero's mouth actually fell open – he could feel his ears starting to burn. That was what he'd said to her the night he confessed… Zero swallowed before chuckling a little shakily. "You little minx…!" He broke off as Yuuki suddenly dipped her head again, her hands clutching at his arms for balance, this time learning what his other nipple felt and tasted like.

Zero tasted delicious. He really did. Yuuki's eyes closed as she licked and kissed him, a part of her delighting in the fact that he was the helpless one now, that he was being undone by her very touch. It made her feel powerful… feminine… needed…

Such sweet, sweet torture… as Yuuki alternated between his aching nipples, using her lips on one and her fingers on the other, Zero's hands reached up more than once, long fingers curled lightly as if to hold her shoulders but he forced them down again each time, clenching them into tight fists on the sheets. He'd touched Yuuki many times before, so it was only fair she had her turn… besides, seeing her more bold than shy for once was deliciously tempting to Zero.

Nope, he wouldn't stop her now… not for anything. Was this his innocent Yuuki who blushed all the time, especially after he'd pleasured her that last time? He couldn't believe it.

Nope, he wouldn't stop her now, not even when she used her small white teeth. Oh God... Zero's fists gripped the sheets tightly. Even though her sweet scent was filling his senses and her silky brown hair teased his bare chest mercilessly as she nipped and licked delicately…

Nope, he refused to stop her, not even if the shy but earnest touch of her lips and tongue near killed him… Zero groaned softly as her lips and tongue grew less shy with each passing minute, trailing down his chest towards his slightly heaving stomach. His breathing grew ragged and uneven as his body grew even harder and heavier with desire.

But as her lips finally neared his navel, Zero finally forced himself to speak. "Yuuki… what about your sketch?" he gasped out. Yuuki lifted her head again, blinking. "Oh" she said. She had forgotten…

"Yeah" Zero grimaced. Not that it wasn't good – mind blowing was more like it - but his jeans were starting to feel really, really restricted now. A fact that hadn't escaped Yuuki's notice as her eyes slid past his navel and onto the telling bulge there now.

"Uh, OK…" Yuuki quickly scooted off the bed and returned to her chair as Zero took a few deep breaths to calm down. Well, _that_ was fun… and now he probably needed another shower to cool off. He glanced up. Yuuki was balancing the sketchbook on her lap again, looking a little hot and bothered herself. Her breathing wasn't quite as even as it had been earlier and Zero smiled. He really shouldn't… but couldn't resist asking "Or do you want to look at… something else… instead? Instead of sketching, I mean…"

Yuuki dropped her pencil, her wide eyed gaze flying to his. She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times with no sound coming out. "No, Zero!" she squeaked, trying to look annoyed as she quickly bent down to retrieve her pencil, letting her hair hide her burning cheeks.

Zero shrugged, a little disappointed. "Ah well, if you're sure" he murmured, propping his head on his hand once more. Yuuki glanced up and Zero paused. Then she smiled and he stopped breathing. Finally, she giggled a little and his mouth parted in surprise. "Uhm… maybe next time?" she asked hopefully.

Zero started breathing again and he resolutely ignored the answering throb his body gave in response to her words. He managed a wry grin. "Anytime, Yuuki… anytime" he reassured her.

Yuuki nodded and gave him another smile before starting her sketch again and Zero's eyes gleamed with anticipation. He knew from that shy, almost eager nod that 'next time' would not be too far off in the future.

It was OK. He had all the time in the world now... he could wait.

-- Chapter End --


	51. Chap 23: Between Us

**Author Notes:** My apologies for the long wait in updating Hold Me - more comments in my profile.

Here is the next chapter - it's more dialog than anything else because it's time they touched on the other aspects of their relationship. Oh and I've borrowed an idea from my favourite author, **Blackened Wing**. Thank you dear! _-hugs-_

For those who are familiar with Hold Me's sister story, No Matter What, this still happens within the holiday break but before Chapter 18 of NMW. Enjoy... :D

-- Chapter Start --

It was night time.

The small family of three staying in Cross Academy had just had their dinner. Zero cleared the table then lingered in the kitchen while Yuuki washed the dishes. Silently, he got a towel and started drying off the clean dishes. It made the auburn haired girl smile to herself. She liked the fact that Zero always helped out without being told. From the amusing stories Yori told her of her own brothers when they were younger, a typical teenage male normally needed extraordinary amounts of coaxing, persuading and plain old threatening before they did housework of any sort. But not Zero.

"Why that smile, Yuuki?" the silver haired prefect murmured. He raised an eyebrow at her as he placed the dry plate on top of the stack on the counter that he'd already gone through. Yuuki looked down into the sink, still smiling. "Oh, nothing" she said casually but that sceptical eyebrow stayed up.

"It's nothing, Zero-_kun_" Yuuki attempted to distract him with the honorific she hadn't used on him in quite a while.

"I know it's something, Yuuki-_chan_" Zero replied, letting her know he wasn't buying it. Despite knowing each for almost five years now, and becoming very close in the past few months, this was actually the first time he'd called her that and Yuuki dropped the plate she was about to pass to him in her surprise. Luckily for them both, it was a plastic one and Zero picked it up from the sink without comment.

"Well?" he prompted her as he whisked the towel over the plate with swift, economical movements. Yuuki pursed her lips – trust Zero to keep at it. "Well, I think you're… nice, that's all" she explained briefly, without bothering to go into the whole story about housework, Yori's brothers and what had prompted her smile in the first place.

Zero put down the plate and gave her a wry look. "I'm _nice_" his tone suggested it wasn't much of a compliment and Yuuki giggled. "Silly, you know I don't mean it that way"

Then, as Zero carried the stack of dishes to the cabinet where they were normally kept, she added "There's more to you than being nice, you know…" She didn't even realised she'd somewhat sidetracked from the original topic.

"Like what?" asked Zero, his back towards her now as he started to keep the dishes. His casual tone belied the fact he was _very _interested in knowing her answer.

Silence.

Zero turned around. Yuuki was very, very scrupulously drying her hands on the damp dishtowel he'd left on the counter. She was not looking at him but he could see her cheeks were warm with colour.

"Well, you're… you're… well, you know…" she mumbled to the dishtowel in her hands. Zero closed the cabinet doors and strolled back to her. "One thing I do know is that I am _not_ the dishtowel, Yuuki" he said dryly, taking the cloth from her and hanging it back up.

A small giggle sounded. "I know…" Yuuki said, staring into the sink now as Zero waited. Why was it so difficult for her to list out his good points? Was it because he didn't have any? Zero was well aware he wasn't a candidate for sainthood, nor did he want to be, but surely he must have _some_ redeeming qualities in him, to have won her love?

Yuuki glanced up suddenly and caught sight of the uncertain emotions flickering in the amethyst eyes looking at her. She smiled softly, reassuringly. "You're Zero" she said simply.

Zero blinked in surprise and Yuuki smiled. It was perhaps a little unfair of her to be so reticent with him. After all, she hadn't had any trouble listing down his redeeming qualities in her mind when Yori had asked why she'd wanted to dance with her adopted brother many months ago. But somehow, she just… couldn't say those things out loud… at least not now. Neatly sidestepping the pool of water she'd made on the floor, Yuuki swung around and made for the door. "That doesn't tell me anything" muttered Zero to himself. But the petite girl paused at the door and glanced over her shoulder. "You're _my_ Zero" she offered with a smile. And when Zero followed her out, he was smiling.

Yuuki was waiting for him at the end of the corridor. "Let's go for a walk, OK?" she suggested impulsively and Zero nodded. Stopping by their rooms to put on their windbreakers, the pair informed their father who was watching TV in the living room then stepped out hand in hand into the beautifully clear night.

Yuuki inhaled the cool air and sighed happily, her small hand firmly clasped in Zero's larger and warmer one. Cross Academy was busy and bustling when school was open. Even at night when they patrolled the school, it was rarely as quiet. But now it was, and Yuuki revelled in the peaceful silence. Zero glanced sideways at her then smiled quietly in return.

"Happy?"

"Very. Zero, I wish we could stay like this forever!"

Zero chuckled quietly as he tugged at her hand to bring her closer, and then released it to place his arm around her waist instead. "You sure, Yuuki? You wouldn't want to grow up?" he asked, half teasing, half serious.

Yuuki sighed – Zero always took things literally. Yori on the other hand, would have just murmured an assent, knowing her friend didn't quite mean it that way. "Well, of course I would… but this is nice too" Yuuki said, almost primly. Slowly, her arm crept around Zero's waist under his windbreaker and their footsteps slowed as he shortened his stride to match hers. Without conscious decision, they both made their way to his favourite spot - the small hill that overlooked the lake.

Zero's question remained on her mind and as they walked, Yuuki asked "What do you want to be when you grow up, Zero?" The silver haired prefect's footsteps slowed a little more as he tilted his head up, surveying the starlit night for a long moment. Then he sighed before glancing sideways at her. "It's been a long time since I thought about my future, Yuuki" Zero confessed softly. "Since I thought I even _had_ a future."

Yuuki's lips parted in surprise and more than a little guilt. She knew Zero had been tormented by his helpless anger at being turned into something he'd grown up hating. She knew he thought that his life would be a shortened one ending in madness. But she never before realised that it also meant he had never dared to think of what most people would just take for granted – a future.

Yuuki had never doubted that she had a future. One filled with happiness and loved ones, one filled with family and friends. A future with both Kaname and Zero in it. A few months ago, she hadn't known how these two could fit together in her life. But now she did, because the one she was infatuated with for years turned out to be her older brother, while the one whom she thought was her brother ended up being much, much more than that. Yes, Yuuki had a future with both of them in her life now. Kaname and Zero were no longer clashing or conflicting with other but both of them continued to occupy their own special place within her heart. Well, Father did too, of course…

"Oh" Yuuki said now, regretting she'd brought up the subject at all. As usual, her inner thoughts were transparently reflected in her eyes and Zero hugged her closer to him as they finally gained the top of the small hill and approached the large, lone tree there.

"Don't be, Yuuki. There were only two reasons why I never thought I would have a future, you know. One was because there was always the fear of falling to Level E, and – " Zero broke off as Yuuki shook her head quickly. "I know" he continued, smiling a little as he turned to face her, holding both her hands in his. "I know I don't have to fear that anymore, thanks to Kaname." Yuuki nodded fervently at that.

Zero continued to hold her gaze steadily with his serious amethyst ones. "And the other reason is because I never thought I would ever have your love" he finished softly. Yuuki's large eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "You have, Zero, for always" she whispered.

"I know… I know that now, dearest. I love you" Zero bent his head and claimed her lips in a kiss that was both soft and sweet.

"I love you, Zero" Yuuki hugged him around the waist as tightly as she could as one kiss turned into another… and another… and another.

After a while, they parted. Zero turned Yuuki around and wrapped his arms around her, with her back against his chest. Then he spoke again. "We'll finish school next year. I might…" he hesitated. "… I might continue my hunter training under Yagari-sensei. If he'll still have me"

Yuuki looked up at Zero and smiled. "I'm sure he will" she reassured. "He loves you, Zero. I'm sure he'd be very happy to." _Father would be happy too…_

Zero shrugged but smiled back. After a moment, he rested his chin on the top of her head and asked "Well, what about you, Yuuki? What do you want to be when you grow up?"

Yuuki sighed as she leaned her head back against his chest and placed her arms over his. "I don't really know, Zero. Kaname-nii-sama's a pureblood but I'm not." For a moment, she sounded almost sad, then she brightened up again. "So I can be whatever I want to be, right?" she asked almost happily as she tilted her head up to look at him again. Zero nodded in reply.

Yuuki's expression grew thoughtful again as she surveyed the silent and peaceful school grounds around them. "I've always wanted vampires and humans to get along well, like Kaname-nii-sama and Father. Besides, Father won't be able to run this school forever, he'll need someone to take over from him one day… right?"

This was probably the most matured thing Zero had ever heard Yuuki say, but he couldn't help teasing her. "Are you sure, Yuuki?" he asked as seriously as he could. "Somehow, I just can't picture you as the new Headmistress of Cross Academy!"

Yuuki uttered a surprised gasp before swinging around to meet him. "Why ever not?" she asked.

Zero schooled his features to look perfectly serious as he pushed his hands into his jeans pockets. "Well, your studies for one thing. What kind of Headmistress would you be if you can't even handle a simple thing like algebra?"

"Oh…!" Yuuki gasped indignantly, almost stamping her foot. "Who says one has to be a whiz at algebra?" she demanded, sounding annnoyed. "Well, I can definitely imagine you as a vampire hunter – you're always so serious!" she shot right back at him.

Zero raised an eyebrow at her, unperturbed. "Really?" he drawled. Yuuki nodded emphatically. "Uh huh" she replied. Zero smiled and reached for her but she quickly took a step backwards.

"Well, I don't care if your algebra sucks or not, Yuuki, you still have the biggest, most generous and loving heart in the entire world." Zero gave her his best smile - his arms were missing her already.

Yuuki's indignation vanished instantly and she shook her head ruefully at herself. Why was it she could never stay annoyed at Zero for long? "Really?" she asked hopefully. Zero nodded, his gaze still on hers. "Yes, and best of all, it belongs to me" he told her softly.

Yuuki laughed, a sound of pure delight. "It does, Zero. So… do I still get to be Headmistress, then?" she asked, arching one eyebrow at him. Zero laughed out loud at that. "Of course" he agreed and bent forward to drop a kiss on her nose. Yuuki moved closer and let Zero hug her again.

After a while, he sighed softly. "Do you remember what you told me that day, Yuuki?" he asked. Yuuki pulled back to look at him enquiringly. "What day?"

Zero moved closer as he elaborated. "The day you said you would marry me and have my babies" he whispered in her ear.

Yuuki nodded. "Yes" she whispered, suddenly not daring to look at him. Zero could almost feel the heat of the enchanting blush on her cheeks. "I want to have a little girl who looks exactly like you" he whispered and Yuuki smiled. "Well, I would like to have a little boy who looks exactly like you" she replied as she rested her cheek on his chest and listened to the sound of his heartbeat.

"We'll have both then!" Zero suggested, smiling. But he sighed almost immediately after that. A slight frown drew Yuuki's delicate eyebrows together as she pulled back to look up at him. "Why, what's wrong, Zero?" she asked softly.

Zero glanced around them then looked at her, his expression suddenly sad. "If we have children, Yuuki, they – they would be…" He couldn't go on – his throat had closed up. Yuuki's lips parted, she knew what he was getting at. "They would be vampires?" she finished softly then reached up to cup his face with her small hands. "I already know they will, Zero" she said gently. "And I don't mind that."

Zero's eyes filled with anguish. "But you should, Yuuki" he burst out. "Because you're human now. I'm not!"

Yuuki smiled at him even though her eyes prickled with tears. "I know you're not, Zero" she chided gently. "And I don't mind at all. After all, Kaname-nii-sama is a pureblood vampire and I plan to take over a school for both humans _and_ vampires, remember?"

Yuuki's eyes were full of gentle understanding and Zero sighed again before touching his forehead to hers. "What have I done to deserve your love, Yuuki?" he asked her, his voice shaking just a little.

She smiled again. "You've done a lot, Zero. You were even willing to give up your own happiness to ensure mine. I'd say that alone counted as something, wouldn't you?" she whispered. Yuuki wanted to say more but Zero kissed her again, and when they encountered wetness on their cheeks, they didn't know whose tears they were. Probably from both of them.

It was another few minutes later before they parted. "Come on… let's head back, Yuuki" Zero said reluctantly. Yuuki nodded and they started down the hill hand in hand, feeling closer than before.

Yuuki moved closer to Zero's side, silently encouraging him to put his arm around her shoulders. She raised her hand to link her fingers with his then sighed softly. It was one of her 'I'm sighing with a valid reason so get ready to talk' ones. "What's wrong, Yuuki?"

"Yori and Hanabusa Aido" she said promptly, causing Zero's eyebrows to shoot up. "What about them?"

Yuuki sighed again. "Well, Aido is a vampire noble. I don't know how they'll be able to continue dating like this. I mean, his parents would want him to marry a girl from another vampire noble family, right? After all, he's their only son, he's sure to have responsibilities about continuing the family line, and so on…"

Zero nodded. "For both their sakes, I hope it works out too" he agreed quietly. Yuuki gave him a somewhat startled glance. Zero hadn't always been supportive of her friend's budding romance with the undisputed playboy of Cross Academy which was unsurprising, given their rather volatile encounters in the past.

Zero caught her look. "What?" he asked. "I'm serious, you know" And when she still looked sceptical, he pulled her closer. "Remember the time you invited them to have dinner with us?" he asked. Yuuki nodded – she'd cut her finger on a broken plate and Aido's blood lust had flared up. Zero smiled a little ruefully. "That was the first time I realised that Aido might actually be serious about Yori, about being afraid that he'd bite her, and hurt her."

Something in his tone made Yuuki realised why. "Zero" she said softly. The silver haired vampire nodded. His took his arm off her shoulders and reached for her hand, squeezing gently. "I could identify with him that time" he said quietly and Yuuki returned the squeeze, not saying anything. "And what he said when we went out together another time… about wanting me to release him from his vow only when I believe that he truly cares for her and has her interests at heart"

The words were also familiar to Yuuki and she was amazed that Zero had apparently memorised them as well. "Oh" she breathed, her eyes shining. Zero shrugged a bit embarrassedly. "I guess sometimes it's hard to see a person's worth until they are tested, huh" he commented. Yuuki nodded and smiled.

"Like you, Yuuki, you only made up your mind between Kaname and me when you saw me almost fall to Level E!" Zero couldn't help teasing her again.

"Oh…! How can you say that, Zero?" Yuuki asked, looking indignant all of a sudden. Zero merely shrugged. "Well, its true" he said mildly and she snatched back her hand from his, annoyed.

They had reached the main building now and went inside. The living room was already deserted. It looked like Chairman Cross had already gone to bed. Yuuki made her way across the living room and down the corridor that led to their rooms, Zero following from behind.

Outside her room door, she swung around to face him. "Humph!" she snorted. "Well, what about you?" she shot back at him again. "You wanted to dance with me during the school dance last time, but you didn't. I had to go looking for you, and we almost missed out on the dance altogether!"

Zero hunched a shoulder rather uncomfortably. "Well, that was because I was… er… " he broke off. Yuuki stood there and faced him directly, hands on hips. "Jealous?" she finished, flashing him a triumphant smile.

But one achingly vulnerable look from Zero's eyes disarmed her instantly. "Yes, Yuuki" he returned honestly. "I was jealous. Not only of Kaname but of each and every one of your male partners. You were so beautiful and popular that night, everyone wanted to dance with you."

Yuuki melted inside. Zero swallowed, remembering again how hurt and confused he'd felt that night. "I didn't think you'd want to dance with me when you could have any partner you chose" he whispered. "I didn't think you'd want to dance with the grumpiest person you'd ever known who'd done nothing but pushed you away constantly, who'd even bitten you and drunk your blood regularly, even on the morning of the dance itself" he whispered.

Yuuki smiled tremulously, her small hand going up to cup his cheek. "I remember that, Zero" she told him softly. "And I was the one who forced you to. As for the dance itself, you can ask Yori, you know… because I told her even before that day, that I had already planned to dance with you"

Zero looked stunned. And something else flashed back into his mind. _Was that why Yori had approached him that night? And why she'd seemed so expectant that he was going to ask Yuuki to dance?_

"I told you I was going to dance with someone other than Kaname-nii-sama. And when you asked me who it was, I said it was Takuma Ichijo" she explained gently. "But it wasn't… I just didn't know how to tell you that I wanted to dance with you."

Zero gave an incredulous laugh. "Why not, Yuuki?" he asked as he reached for her hand. Yuuki smiled. "Well, I asked you if you were going to dance then, and you said no, remember?" she reminded him. "I was afraid if I told you what I wanted, you would turn me down flat."

Zero shook his head. "I would never turn you down, Yuuki" _You could ask for the moon, and I would try to get it for you…_

Yuuki smiled again. "I know that now" she said gently. Zero's smile was deprecating. "Guess I really screwed up then, huh?"

Yuuki nodded gravely. Zero lifted her hand to his lips, dropping a small but heartfelt kiss onto each knuckle. "Then I'm even more glad that you found me, and asked me" he said, his voice none too steady.

Yuuki nodded. "I told you, it was Kaname-nii-sama who told me where you were" she reminded him again. Zero looked a little chagrined at that. "Yeah, I always wondered why…" He dropped another set of kisses on the back of her hand. "I'm so glad you found me, Yuuki" he repeated. "Because it led to our first kiss"

"I know" Yuuki whispered. She let Zero claim her lips again as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her as if she was the most precious thing he had ever seen. The kiss they shared now was similar to their magical first kiss that night as they stood in the exact same place it had occurred – right outside Yuuki's room door. Only this time, it was better. Because when the kiss ended, there was no uncertainty and doubts of before.

Zero held Yuuki even after the kiss ended. "Zero?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"How do you feel about him now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Kaname-nii-sama. You've been rivals with him for so long only to find out that you didn't have to"

Zero scowled lightly. "It was also his fault for leading both of us along" he defended himself. Then he sighed. "You know, Yuuki… even though I was jealous of him, the one thing I never doubted was his love for you. I – I always knew he loved you very much. Do you remember the time you followed me to my parents' grave during All Souls Day? And how I had to carry you back because you had fever?" At her grave nod, Zero continued "You were unconscious then but when Kaname took you from me, he reassured me that he would never hurt you. I believed him, Yuuki. On that score, I always have."

Yuuki smiled through the tears in her eyes. "I'm so glad, Zero. I really want the two of you to be good friends"

Zero had to chuckle a little at that. Friends? He wasn't so sure of that but if it was what Yuuki wanted, and if Kaname didn't mind… "Well, that can hardly be avoided, can it, since I'll have to drink his blood once in a while from now on?"

"Yes, I know" Then Yuuki paused. "Does that mean you – I – we shouldn't… you know…"

Zero looked at her seriously. "I know I still did that day but I don't actually have to, Yuuki, your brother's is more than enough for me." There was an unspoken question at the end of that sentence and looking into his eyes, Yuuki knew what it was.

"But you still want to?" she asked softly. Zero nodded. "Yes… but I don't have to, Yuuki" he reassured her quickly.

Yuki laughed softly, suddenly weak with relief. "I'm glad my blood still holds some appeal for you, Zero" she teased him gently. "Because I love it when you take from me" she confessed. "And when you hold me… I thought you already knew that?"

Zero sighed in relief before hugging her tightly. "Thank you, Yuuki" he whispered. "Because it's not just the taste of your blood, you know, sweet as it is. It's because it's you. It's because I get to hold you close, be near you and love you. That's why, Yuuki."

Yuuki closed her eyes but a tear spilled out anyway. "Then do that always, Zero" she whispered as she pressed her cheek to his shirt. "Do that always"

"I will" Zero vowed.

-- Chapter End --


	52. Chap 24: Assumptions Again

**Author Notes:** A short and light hearted chapter to balance out the sappiness of the previous one _-grins-_ It will probably remind you of Chapter 16 Assumptions, though! Nope, no lime here either... maybe in the next chapter? :D

-- Chapter Start --

Yuuki hummed softly to herself as she walked back to her room after her shower. Touga Yagari, Zero's ex-sensei, was joining them for dinner and roast chicken, baked potatoes and a fresh salad were on the menu tonight. The fowl had already been prepared and marinated and was currently sitting in the refrigerator, awaiting Zero's attention once he came back from the stables after his ride.

After combing her hair, Yuuki strolled into the kitchen, resolving to make herself useful. She would start by taking down the large baking tray for roasting the chicken in.

Ever since the time she'd found the shiny metal tray in one of the lower kitchen cabinets and used it together with an iron ladle to amuse herself, the Chairman had taken to keeping the tray in one of the upper cabinets that lined the walls instead.

A small grin tilted Yuuki's lips. That was ten years ago and she no longer harboured thoughts of being an aspiring drummer but she guessed old habits were hard to break, hence the tray occupying its current position. She grabbed the nearest kitchen chair from the table in the corner and carried it over to the counter that ran alongside the opposite wall.

Placing the wooden chair next to the counter, Yuuki kicked off her slippers and stepped up onto its wooden seat. It creaked a little under her weight but she ignored it. The wooden knobs of the cabinet doors in front of her were now on a level with her chin. Yuuki grasped both knobs and pulled them open, leaning back a little as she did so. The chair under her creaked again, louder this time.

Rather belatedly, Yuuki realised that this was the broken chair Chairman Cross had repaired many years ago. He'd only used one nail then to secure the small piece of wood reinforcing the broken leg. Just yesterday, Zero had muttered something about wanting to hammer another nail into the wood to hold it better but he'd not gotten around to it yet.

The chair started to sway very slightly and Yuuki paused indecisively for a moment. She really ought to get down and use a different chair since this one was unstable. But the cabinet was already open and there was the baking dish right in front of her eyes, tempting her to taken it down now.

She really should have known better...

Telling herself to be quick about it before either the Chairman or Zero came in and scolded her for her usual carelessness, Yuuki quickly grabbed the large tray. As she started to pull it out, the chair beneath her creaked ominously again. Holding her breath, Yuuki moved one foot back a little and shifted her weight onto it then continued pulling the heavy tray out. The chair wobbled dangerously as the single nail in the soft wood reinforcing the chair leg started to twist. Yuuki's breath caught in her throat. "Slowly now" she muttered to herself as she rose up onto her bare toes and continued easing the tray out.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Zero's voice coming from the kitchen doorway was a mix of shock and worry. With a squeak of surprise, Yuuki swung around, her shoulder length hair swinging around her shoulders and flicking at her cheeks. The tray in her hands hit the side of the cabinet hard, jarring her and making the chair wobble even more. Her shifting weight twisted the hapless nail in the wood and it bent sideways, slipping out of the leg. Bereft of its support, the broken chair leg gave way.

Yuuki gasped - the open cabinet in front of her and its contents were all tilting crazily in her vision. Then the chair collapsed. Zero cursed softly as he leapt forward.

"Ooh…" Yuuki breathed. For a moment, she felt as if she was suspended in air with the tray falling from her hands. Then she was falling sideways and she squealed in fright, her arms flailing for purchase even as a pair of strong arms wrapped tightly around her waist. And as before, when Yuuki had slipped on the wet bathroom floor after one of their infamous water fights, Zero instinctively swung both of them around to cushion her body with his. An instant later, he paid the price - his right shoulder slammed against the edge of one of the open cabinet doors. Half a second later, a loud crash resounded as the baking tray landed on the floor, one corner indented from the impact.

Yuuki found herself held securely in Zero's arms with her face buried in his sweat dampened T-shirt. His heartbeat was erratic and she pulled back a little to look into his amethyst eyes. For a moment, Yuuki was unable to speak, her brown eyes wide in shock at her near fall.

Then Zero sighed. His amethyst eyes closed then opened. "Are you OK, Yuuki?" he asked softly. Flushing guiltily and trying to get her own accelerated heartbeat to ease up, Yuuki nodded immediately. "I'm fine" she replied quickly. "Are – are you hurt?" she asked in turn, a small frown drawing her eyebrows together.

"No."

Yuuki offered a smile as she took a step back and Zero released her. "Ah, that's good then, Zero. Thank you..."

No such luck.

"Just what did you think you were doing, Yuuki?" Zero's eyes were as stern as his voice now and she pouted. "I was just trying to take down the baking tray, Zero"

"Of all the chairs you could've used…!"

The auburn haired girl hunched a shoulder uncomfortably. "Well, it was the nearest one to hand" she said, giving him a conciliatory smile as she patted his arm. Luckily, it worked and Zero sighed, his anger dissipating. "I should've repaired it when I found it wobbling the other day" he muttered to himself. He sounded guilty now and Yuuki quickly shook her head. "Hey, it's not your fault, Zero" she said.

"Huh" was all the silver haired prefect said as he shook his head at himself.

Yuuki looked around for the tray, her heart sinking as she saw how one corner was dented now. Oh dear... Carefully, she picked it up and placed it on the counter top, as if fearing to cause it any further pain. "Do you think Father would be -" Then she realised that Zero's left hand had come up to cup his right shoulder, his fingers probing the area rather gingerly.

The tray forgotten, Yuuki quickly stepped closer to him. "Zero, are you all right?"

Zero's hand slipped off his shoulder immediately. "I'm fine, Yuuki. I'll go grab a quick shower first, all right?" She nodded, her wide eyes still on his shoulder. Ignoring her speculative gaze, Zero carried the broken chair to a corner of the kitchen, switched on the oven then went off to take his shower.

Five minutes later, Yuuki was dicing tomatoes for the salad and keeping an ear out for Zero. She put down her knife as she heard the bathroom door open then tiptoed to the kitchen door and peeped out. Zero was walking down the corridor to his own room, clad only in jeans and towelling his hair.

Yuuki's eyes caught sight of a darkening bruise the size of an egg on his bare right shoulder. "Oh, Zero, you're hurt!" Her wide brown eyes filling with guilt, she darted forward, reaching Zero just as he paused outside his room door. He turned around. "Don't worry, Yuuki. I'll live" he said somewhat dryly before reaching for his doorknob.

"But it's huge!"

"I'm fine"

"But, Zero…"

"Forget it, Yuuki" He reached out and tapped her nose lightly before going into his room and closing the door. Yuuki pressed her lips together. Then she thought of something and retreated to the kitchen. This time, she used another chair to take down the medical box kept in one of the other upper cabinets. It had also occupied a top shelf ever since the Headmaster found a much younger Yuuki and Zero ooh-ing and aah-ing over its contents one day, in the kitchen of his old home.

The auburn haired girl took out the tube of analgesic gel for muscle pain and laid it aside. As she turned her attention back to her salad, Zero walked into the kitchen. He had on a clean T-shirt and was running his fingers through his damp hair. Yuuki made no further mention of his shoulder but completed her salad and placed it in the fridge while Zero transferred the chicken to the oven, checked the temperature and took note of the time.

Before he could walk out again, Yuuki picked up the tube of analgesic and cleared her throat, causing Zero to look at her. His gaze fell on the tube in her palm and a small smile tilted his lips. "I'm fine, Yuuki" he said patiently. She didn't reply, just shook her head and pointed to the table in the corner. Zero sighed even as the smile continued to play around his lips. Yuuki wouldn't give up – she never did. He poured himself a glass of water then walked over and sat down. Yuuki tugged at his shirt sleeve. "Off with your shirt, Zero"

He caught her hand. "Yuuki…" But her small hands tried to tug his shirt off.

"Yuuki…!" Zero protested, half laughing despite himself as he half turned to face her. As expected, she put both hands on her hips and let a determined look show in her eyes. He relented at once. "Here?"

"Yes, before Father comes in" Yuuki spoke decisively as she hadn't yet prepared an answer to explain the latest beating her father's beloved baking tray had suffered. Zero didn't bother to comment as he stood up and tugged the T-shirt over his head. Sitting back down, he placed the shirt on his lap.

The discoloration on his right shoulder had grown darker – it was now purplish tinged with blue. Yuuki sucked in her breath. "I'm sorry, Zero" she said softly. He only grunted in reply. "It's not the first bruise I've gotten, Yuuki, and I hardly think it's going to be the last one" he commented dryly. _Especially if I'm going to have to take care of you for the rest of my life… what's a bruise or two, dearest?_

Yuuki ran gentle fingertips over his skin and Zero felt her touch all the way down to his toes. She squeezed out some of the analgesic gel onto her fingers. "Then let me make it better" she said softly.

Zero nodded and closed his eyes.

- o -

Dinner would be ready in an hour. Chairman Cross rubbed his hands together in anticipation as he walked out of this study, his stomach already rumbling. Nothing quite like a dinner of roast chicken with his family, especially when accompanied by a bottle of the white wine Yagari said he would bring over.

Cross had wanted to help with the dinner preparations but his offer had been politely but firmly declined by his two children. Since it looked like they had full control over everything, he might as well go take his shower then. As he stepped into the dining area, Cross heard Zero's and Yuuki's voices coming from the kitchen. Dinner preparations were underway… right? It didn't sound like it and his steps slowed down as he heard what they were saying.

"You can't just stroke it, Yuuki"

"I know... but it feels good, right?"

"Yes, but that's not the point. You gotta rub it hard."

"I _know_, Zero. Wait, it needs more gel"

Chairman Cross frowned to himself. _Gel? For the chicken?_

A pause.

Then a small yelp sounded. "It's cold!"

A soft giggle ensued. "It's mentholated, Zero. You're such a softy… the gel will warm up soon enough"

The older man's brow cleared in realisation. _Ah, so it wasn't for the chicken..._

Another pause.

"Stop squirming, Zero!"

"Your fingers are cold, too. And you're just stroking again. You're supposed to rub it, you know. Hard."

Chairman Cross frowned again. _Then what was the gel for? And the rubbing?_

"I _am_ rubbing, you're just ticklish. Who'd have ever thought - "

"I am _not_ ticklish, Yuuki"

"Yes, you are. Can't you tell I'm already rubbing it as hard as I can?"

"It feels good, Yuuki, but rub harder"

"I am!"

"Use both hands, then!"

"Uh… OK"

Another short silence followed.

Biting his lip, Cross took a tentative step forward as he unconsciously kept his back to the wall. This reminded him of what had happened the last time he found himself eavesdropping on their conversation. He'd ended up looking foolish, that's what. But he couldn't stop his uneasiness this time, because it didn't remotely sound like a blood taking session. At all.

"Aah, better" Zero's voice sounded just a tad uneven.

"That's good, then" Yuuki's sounded a little breathless.

Yet another silence.

"Uhm, Zero, it's... enlarging..." Yuuki's voice sounded worried now.

Cross bit his lip harder, trying to rein in his galloping thoughts. _What on earth could possibly enlarge with the application of mentholated gel?_ OK, scratch that. Maybe a more suitable question would be -what _else _could possibly enlarge with the application of mentholated gel?

A patient sigh was heard. "Of course it is. Don't worry. The point it, it'll shrink later"

Cross' eyes closed behind his spectacles as his heart thumped uneasily in his chest. _Chickens didn't enlarge then shrink. But other things did. What if he wasn't mistaken this time? But in the kitchen? And while preparing dinner? And with a guest on the way here?_

"Uhm, and it feels hot, too"

"That's due to the gel, Yuuki"

"Really?" Yuuki's voice sounded doubtful.

"Uh-huh… that, and all your rubbing. Go on, rub it harder"

"OK, how's this?" Yuuki's voice sounded rather unsteady now with her exertions.

Zero groaned. "Mmm, good. Don't stop…"

"Really?"

"Yeah. Don't stop, Yuuki"

"I won't, Zero. Not until you tell me to."

Cross' heart was now tripping over itself in its effort to pump more blood to his stupefied brain. _OK, we are definitely _not _talking about a chicken here. But of course there is a reasonable explanation for this. Of course._

"Zero?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't tell Father about this, please"

"Yuuki, he's bound to find out sooner or later"

"Later then. I'd like to live a little longer, you know" Yuuki's laugh was soft and a little deprecating.

A fond snort responded. "Father won't harm a hair on your head and you know it, Yuuki"

_OK, maybe not Yuuki's hair, or Yuuki but…_

"A little harder"

"Zero, my hand's getting tired"

"Use your other hand"

"Well, my other hand's tired too, you know. What else do you expect me to use?"

Zero's reply was too soft to catch but Yuuki's resultant giggle sounded shocked. "Zero! Are you kidding? I can't do that!"

"Why not?"

"Well, because – because I don't want to get the gel on my mouth, that's why!"

Chairman Cross' eyes almost popped out of his head. Oh, this was ridiculous - either step into the kitchen and see for himself or stop hovering around in the dining room trying to give himself a heart attack. Zero and Yuuki were most assuredly a couple but they were still new at this whole dating thing. Right?

"Hey, Zero, where are you going?"

"To my room so that I can finish it myself. Pass me the gel, Yuuki"

"Oh… uhm, OK then. Here you go"

The older man heard the unmistakable scrape of one of the kitchen chairs being dragged back. A few seconds later, he saw Zero walk out of the kitchen and down the corridor. He was shirtless and a T-shirt was clasped in his right hand. On his right shoulder was a real beauty of a bruise, roughly the size of an egg.

With a dawning suspicion in his mind, and feeling like he'd narrowly escaped making a fool of himself, Chairman Cross took a couple of deep breaths before he walked into the kitchen. The unmistakable smell of muscle pain reliever filled the air and Yuuki was standing at the kitchen table, closing the lid of the medical box.

She turned around and gave a rather guilty smile. "Oh, hello, Father" she said as she tried to hide the box behind her.

Chairman Cross still wasn't too sure what had happened but when Yuuki wore an expression like it, it usually meant she'd done something she shouldn't have. "What happened, Yuuki?" he asked her as sternly as he could, with his heart still beating unevenly in his chest.

"Eh… ah, that is, I climbed up a chair to get something down earlier" she mumbled.

Cross raised an eyebrow at her. "And?"

Yuuki offered him a sheepish smile. "I used the chair which you repaired last time. It… the leg broke"

Ah. The final pieces of the puzzle fell into place. Chairman Cross shook his head and sighed. "So Zero caught you and somehow injured himself?"

Yuuki's smile turned even more sheepish than before and her gaze fell. "Uhm, yeah" she mumbled. "How did you know…"

Chairman Cross felt weak with relief. "Why am I not surprised?" he muttered to himself.

Yuuki was still looking abashed but peeped up at him through her eyelashes now, the way she used to do when she was much younger and hoping to get out of punishment.

"Well, be more careful in future, Yuuki" Cross grumbled, completely taken in by her look even though he knew he shouldn't be.

Yuuki beamed in relief. "Yes, Father!"

Cross couldn't help smiling in return but as he wandered out of the kitchen, it faded. He thought parenting would actually get easier as his children grew older but he was wrong. It just got harder each day.

Perhaps it would finally get easier once he became a grandfather? Well, seeing as how both his children were still in their teens, _that_ was still some ways off. His heart light as a feather now, Chairman Cross chuckled quietly to himself as he stepped into the bathroom.

Still, it never hurt to dream, right?

-- Chapter End --


	53. Chap 25: Setting the Limit

**Author Notes: **OK, this chapter is definitely more romantic and limey, as promised! Hope you enjoy it... :D More comments in my bio profile as usual.

20Nov2008: Corrected Zero's age to seventeen and Yuuki's to sixteen. Thanks **TwilightSonnet **for pointing this out! :D

-- Chapter Start --

A tall, silver haired boy and a petite, auburn haired girl walked hand in hand out of the kitchen. The breakfast dishes had just been cleared away and they were both still wearing their pyjamas since it was still school holidays, although the start of the last week of it.

"What are your plans for the day, Yuuki?" Zero asked. It had started drizzling since early morning so they wouldn't be able to go out. Not that he minded much, anyway. Yuuki shrugged. "Don't know… what do you have in mind?"

Zero didn't answer but when Yuuki glanced at him, he was looking at her with his calm, steady gaze. "Kissing you. Holding you." he said solemnly, enjoying how her soft, brown eyes widened in delight even as her cheeks warmed up. "Now?" she asked as she glanced around the corridor. Zero shook his head, a small smile playing about his lips at her cautious tone. "In your room, dearest" he told her softly.

Yuuki smiled and nodded. Zero reached past her and opened the door then ushered her in. He closed the door behind him and locked it, making Yuuki swing around, her eyebrows raised upon hearing the sound.

"I know father is out but just in case..." Zero responded to her unspoken question, a rather predatory light gleaming in his amethyst eyes now. It made Yuuki's body tingle pleasantly with excitement and without a word, she sat on her bed and patted the mattress beside her. Zero crossed her room in long strides. He sank down beside her and without a word, pulled her up onto his lap, an arm going around her back for support. Then he lifted her chin with his other hand and claimed her waiting lips with his.

Ah... Yuuki loved Zero's kisses. Her eyes fluttered shut as she responded readily, her hands sliding up his shirt front to his shoulders, the cotton soft under her fingers and warmed by his body heat. Zero's long fingers moved from her jaw to her hair, threading through the silky brown strands as he tenderly coaxed her tongue to play with his.

One long and passionate kiss later and Yuuki felt like melting, her rapid heartbeat making her breath hitch softly. "Zero..." Her voice was a husky whisper as Zero laid a trail of soft kisses across one softly flushed cheek to her small ear. Yuuki's fingers curled in his shirt as she tilted her head, knowing what was coming next. Zero licked the delicate outer shell of her ear and she squirmed on his lap and giggled. "Zero, stop that!"

"Mmm... whose ticklish now?" Zero murmured the words as he paid close attention to the soft skin behind her ear, loving how her quick and light breathing brushed his cheek. His words reminded Yuuki of how he had rescued her from the broken kitchen chair a couple of days ago and recalling the bruise he had sustained, her nimble fingers undid the buttons of Zero's pyjama shirt. She wanted to see if it was still discoloured. Yuuki slipped her small hand under his shirt and eased it off his right shoulder. The bruise was still there, but lighter and greenish yellow now.

Yuuki pressed closer and kissed it softly, knowing he'd gotten it on account of her carelessness and smiled as Zero shivered against her. She gave the bruise another kiss and a small comforting lick before letting her hands roam over his toned chest once more. Zero was beautiful – Yuuki mapped each plane and each contour of his chest with delight before paying special attention to his nipples that she now knew were sensitive. Zero's small gasps of delight made her smile again and she leaned forward to taste each of them in turn.

"Yuuki..." Zero groaned and he pulled her up, burying his face in her neck. Yuuki giggled softly then paused. Zero's breathing was starting to sound more than a little uneven now next to her ear and he was also licking her neck in an urgent yet familiar manner. She pulled back now to look at him in concern. "Zero?" she asked suddenly. "Are you feeling OK?"

Zero's head was down. He started to nod his head, then shook it instead. Swallowing, he grimaced at the scratchy feel of his throat. Since waking up this morning, he had been feeling rather out of sorts, his chest tight and his jaw aching. Zero knew very well what the symptoms were and it wasn't surprising that his blood lust had flared up even more after being tempted by Yuuki's irresistibly sweet scent as he held her and kissed her. Her loving attentions to his body hadn't helped either.

Between Zero's parted lips, Yuuki could see a glimpse of his sharp fangs. "Didn't you take from Kaname-nii-sama that day when he returned?" she asked, a slight frown drawing her brows together. Her pureblood brother had come back for a day and a half before going off again to attend another meeting at the vampire council. It would be another three days before he returned to the academy.

Zero shrugged a bit embarrassedly then shook his head again. "I was supposed to... but he was busy with Father and then with the other nobles. Besides, I thought I'd be... OK"

Yuuki could be shrewd enough when she put her mind to it. "You didn't know how to ask him?" she guessed. Zero nodded, his fingers tightening unconsciously on Yuuki's as he met her gaze. "I didn't exactly know what to say" he mumbled a bit awkwardly, a slight flush warming his cheeks.

Yuuki's eyes softened even more in understanding. Of course he wouldn't know - after all, he and Kaname had been fierce rivals not too long ago. And while her brother had willingly let Zero take from him that day, the day she made her choice, none of them had actually discussed the long term plans or arrangements. It was something that would have to be worked out.

But for now...

"Take mine, Zero, please" she offered softly, her eyes shining with love and anticipation. Why would she begrudge him something that would not only help him but give her pleasure as well? Zero dipped his head to brush an appreciative kiss onto her forehead. "Thank you" he said softly. Yuuki smiled as her fingers unbuttoned the top few buttons of her pyjama shirt, pushing it down one shoulder and baring her neck.

Zero's already unsteady heartbeat accelerated even more, partly at the thought of drinking Yuuki's delicious blood again, and at the way her slipping top exposed the top half of her breast. She didn't seem to realise it as she smiled at Zero with her head tilted to one side. "Help yourself" she invited, anticipation making her cheeks flush and her eyes sparkle. Despite his aching fangs, Zero smiled back warmly. He lifted her up slightly and turned her around so that her back was against his chest. Then he fitted his face into the sweet curve of her neck, his warm, ragged breath brushing her skin.

Yuuki's hand went up to cup the side of his head. She could feel the metal piercings in his upper ear as she tilted her head a little more, giving him full access. "Always, Zero, you can always take from me" she murmured, leaning back against him.

"Yes" Zero's voice was a ragged whisper against her beating pulse. He kissed her neck gently, his tongue going out to taste her skin. Yuuki's breath caught in her throat as she waited, giving out a small gasp of pleasure as his fangs went in. The slight pain was still there but it was a sweet kind of pain because she missed this, and she wanted it with all her heart.

Zero's arms around her waist tugged her closer as if he wanted to feel every inch of her soft body pressed to his. Yuuki sighed contentedly as his warm lips caressed her neck as he drank and she placed her other arm over his, her fingers stroking his forearms. So warm... so smooth. Yuuki shivered in delight as Zero's tongue and lips lavished attention on her as he drank slowly, his ears taking in her hitching, unsteady breath as well. When he lifted his mouth a minute or so later, she pulled his head down again. "Take more, please" she said softly.

Zero shook his head against her neck. "Enough, dearest. Besides, you're having your menses. I can tell" he whispered.

Yuuki blushed then shivered softly as Zero licked the remaining traces of blood from her skin. "You can smell that" she whispered back a little dazedly, even though she already knew he could. "I can indeed" Zero confirmed then he sighed and lifted his head before turning her sideways a little to look at her. "What would I do without you, Yuuki?" he asked, his gaze loving and worshipful.

Yuuki's brown eyes danced in merriment. "Drink from my brother? Or father?" she suggested impishly, making Zero grin. "You know I would rather take yours anytime, Yuuki"

Yuuki nodded as her eyes dropped to his lips and Zero licked them self-consciously. He longed to kiss her again and he knew she was expecting him to. But first...

"Give me one moment" he muttered. He deposited Yuuki back onto the bed then strode over to the sink in the corner of her room to rinse his mouth thoroughly with water. When Zero sat down beside her again, he lifted her onto his lap and Yuuki responded eagerly to his loving kisses and caresses. She was quite breathless and more than a little flushed when he finally released her and giggled suddenly as something prodded the back of her thigh. By now, Yuuki had a good guess as to what it was. Most unconsciously but a little deliberately as well, she shifted about on Zero's lap. Immediately, his arm around her tightened and he gasped.

Yuuki waited a moment then she shifted her hips again, more insistent this time. Zero's face was buried in her neck and she felt his breath rush out next to her ear.

"Yuuki?"

"Yes?"

"Are you doing that on purpose?"

"I... yes, I am actually..."

A low chuckle sounded right next to her ear before Zero straightened up. "You little minx...!"

Yuuki didn't say anything but she looked down. Even without seeing, Zero could tell her cheeks were flushed. Still looking down, the auburn haired girl scooted off his lap and onto the bed. Zero glanced down and bit his lip. His pyjama pants now had a small damp circle on it and it wasn't due to perspiration because something was also standing up beneath it. He saw that Yuuki was also staring at the same spot before she looked up at him.

Zero stopped breathing. Her cheeks were charmingly flushed but her eyes were bright with curiosity but no trace of fear. After a moment, they both spoke at the same time.

"May I – "

"Do you want to – "

Then they both stopped.

"Zero? May... may I take a look?" asked Yuuki softly. Her voice sounded very shy and Zero's heart melted even as his cheeks heated up. "Of course" he managed. After all, he'd promised, hadn't he? He'd been waiting for this, hadn't he?

A small smile quivered on Yuuki's lips. It wasn't as if she hadn't seen this particular part of him before - she had, when father had brought him back one cold winter's night. Well, that didn't really count because he was only twelve then. But she had also seen him more recently when she found him in the shower one day, depressed after killing a Level E vampire...

For a moment, Yuuki's eyes unfocused, remembering how they had cried together that night. Zero fearing that he would hurt her one day, and she fearing that he would never have the happy life he deserved. Thankfully, both fears were all in the past.

"Yuuki?"

She looked up and smiled at him. Zero propped his straightened arms behind him as he leaned back a little. "Well, go on" he encouraged her softly. He didn't mind stripping for her but thought it better if she did it... even though he wasn't sure he would live through the suspense.

Yuuki swallowed and stretched out her hand. Slowly, she reached for the hem of his pyjama shirt. Ever so slowly, she lifted it, folding it up to expose the elasticised waistband of his pyjama pants. Zero had to remind himself to breathe. Yuuki hesitated, then reached out her other hand. Slender, trembling fingers curled tentatively into the waistband and tugged the material down, but so hesitantly it went down only an inch. Zero had to remind himself to breathe again. Then Yuuki hesitated.

Zero swallowed. "Yuuki?"

Her head came up immediately, cheeks still flushed. "Yes, Zero?"

"Just do it!"

"Uh - OK" Yuuki mumbled. Taking a deep breath, she slowly eased the cotton pants down his hips, carefully lifting the material past his arousal. "Oh my..." she said in a hushed whisper, wide eyes glued to his straining flesh.

Zero stopped breathing entirely as he waited for her reaction. Would she find it fascinating? Interesting? Or just... gross. His self confidence started nose diving the longer he waited. Finally, Yuuki looked up. "I didn't realise you're so big" she said softly. At the sheer awe in her voice, Zero swallowed then started breathing again, relief flooding through him.

Yuuki released her hold on his pants, leaving it halfway on his thighs. Zero started breathing again but stopped when she stretched her fingers towards him. Hearing his ragged breath, Yuuki looked up. Her wide eyes were curious... and definitely interested. "May I touch you, Zero?" she asked softly.

Oh, for the love of…! "Touch me any way, anyhow you like, Yuuki" Zero responded, his voice husky and deep. He wanted so much for her to touch him. _Can't you tell I'm yours, Yuuki, to do as you please?_

Then Zero stopped breathing again. Yuuki's fingertips ghosted softly over the wet tip and Zero's body jerked involuntarily. Yuuki yanked her fingers back, her startled eyes on him. Quickly, he shook his head mutely to let her know he was all right. Yuuki gave a tentative nod then rubbed her fingers together before bringing them up to her nose, sniffing them curiously. Zero found himself watching her warily but all she said was a soft "Hmm" before she lowered her hand. Yuuki touched him again, this time sliding her fingers very gently up and down his length, making Zero's breath hiss out through his teeth.

"Yuuki" he groaned. She was undoing him again... but he loved it. Yuuki glanced up. There was still a trace of colour in her cheeks but her eyes twinkled – she loved watching his reaction. Zero looked... amazing. He felt amazing too – his skin was as smooth as the rest of him but just underneath that was such warm, firm muscle. His swollen, blood engorged tip was fascinating to watch too as was the clear liquid that dewed there. She couldn't detect any smell at all on her fingers and briefly wondered what it would taste like.

Emboldened by Zero's reaction, Yuuki folded slender fingers around his length and tentatively slid them up and down. To Zero, it was a form of heavenly torture devised to drive him insane.

"Yuuki, harder" he gasped. Otherwise, it really _was_ ticklish...

"Oh?" Yuuki grabbed him more firmly this time. "I – I don't want to hurt you" she mumbled. After all, it was a very sensitive part, right?

Zero shook his head, beads of sweet starting to adorn his brow. "You can't" he gasped out. Then he swallowed. Yuuki had taken him at his word and was holding him more firmly this time, even if her pumping actions were still too torturously gentle for him. Zero groaned again. He was extremely aroused and he loved feeling her hands on him but he was going insane.

"Yuuki, rub harder!" Zero gasped, his heart hammering hard in his throat. Yuuki grasped him more firmly, her small white teeth catching at her lower lip as she did so but it still wasn't enough. Her thumb accidentally brushed over Zero's wet tip and he jerked again.

"Sorry - are you in pain?" Yuuki asked a little breathlessly, her eyes wide at the thought of having hurt him. Zero's eyes closed. "No" he managed, sound almost as if he were in pain. Then "Do it again... please..."

Yuuki's thumb stroked over the exposed area, with added pressure this time, and Zero's legs turned to jelly as his chest heaved. Then he opened his eyes. Yuuki was still watching his reactions, eager to please.

"Don't stop" Zero whispered, feeling like he was going to explode with all the blood in his body pooling heavily in his groin now. But he couldn't wait any longer. Zero sat up and closed his fingers around hers, gripping both her fingers and his arousal. Then he pumped himself firmly, making Yuuki squeak in surprise.

"Zero, stop! You'll hurt yourself! Stop!" Yuuki protested as she frantically tried to free her fingers from his but to no avail.

"I won't" Zero's voice sounded almost pained, his breath coming faster and harsher as he pumped himself hard. Sexual tension was coiling tightly in him, concentrated in his lower abdomen, his muscles tightening, squeezing hard. Zero looked down, seeing his long fingers interlacing with Yuuki's slender ones as his movements became more frantic, more rapid...

"Zero...!" Yuuki gasped. And then it happened – Zero's fingers squeezed hers almost painfully tight and he groaned, bending over a little. His body jerked reflexively, spasmodically. Yuuki actually squeaked in surprise as Zero's warm passion spurted out from between their fingers, large opaque drops landing on his exposed thighs as well as their hands and arms. Yuuki stared wide eyed at the liquid as its strange, musky but not unpleasant scent reminded her of the night Zero had almost claimed her in the bathroom.

Then she looked up at Zero's face – his eyes were closed tight and he was breathing raggedly as he continued to pump himself, lost in the throes of ecstasy. A bead of sweat rolled down his cheek as his partially uncovered chest heaved, slick with perspiration. Yuuki swallowed in wonder. Wow... so this was what Zero meant by his explanation on the night he confessed his love for her?

Long moments later, Zero's eyes blinked open. He grimaced as he saw the evidence of his passion on their still joined hands. Quickly, he released his flesh as well as Yuuki's now rather cramped fingers.

"Sorry" he muttered breathlessly. Yuuki half turned and caught hold of the tissue box lying on her nightstand. She pulled out a couple of sheets and started cleaning him up. ""Don't apologise, Zero" she chided gently. "Actually, I found it fascinating!"

Zero was wiping the slippery substance from Yuuki's arm but he paused. "Really?" he asked uncertainly. Yuuki paused in her cleaning to smile at him. "Really, Zero" she said with a definite nod of her head and Zero smiled in relief.

"But you were much too rough! I thought you were going to hurt yourself, you know, with all that – that, um, action..."

Colour flooded back to Zero's cheeks and tingled in his ears. "I was _not_ too rough" he muttered. "It was just right."

"Oh?" Yuuki looked surprised, then a little chagrined. Well, she supposed he would know better... "So I was too gentle, then?" she ventured tentatively. She looked like she really wanted to know. Zero nodded solemnly. "Kind of" he agreed reluctantly.

"Oh"

They were silent for a while as they continued to clean up, but it was a sweet sort of silence. Zero's breath caught in his throat as Yuuki touched him again but her fingers were very gentle on his sensitised skin. "I'll try a harder touch next time" she said suddenly.

Zero paused in the midst of pulling up his pants as he gave her a startled look. "Really? You don't have to, you know"

"But I want to" Yuuki replied. Her voice sounded almost prim but her words warmed Zero's heart and he smiled. "I'm looking forward to it" he told her softly, bending forward to kiss her lightly. "And I want to do the same thing back to you, dearest" he whispered against her lips before looking into her eyes. Both his words and his look made Yuuki blush and her gaze faltered under his.

Zero's hand tilted her chin up. "Hey, are you OK?" he asked, his eyes suddenly unsure. Yuuki smiled as she scooted closer, resting her head on his chest as he hugged her closely.

"All this, Zero" she whispered. "Is this what all couples do?" Yuuki almost cringed as soon as the words left her mouth. She pulled away slightly to look at him but didn't really need to see Zero's startled look to know that he was now confused.

"I mean... are - are you OK with this?" she rephrased her question. "Or... do you want more..." There – she'd said it. Zero's frown disappeared immediately. "Oh, Yuuki" he said, resisting the urge to shake her. "Did you think I would pounce on you?" he asked her almost sternly. "Did you think I would demand something from you that you're not ready to give?"

Yuuki bit her lip then shook her head. Zero sighed as he brushed his knuckles gently down her cheek. "That was then, Yuuki. I promise you I won't get carried away. Not now."

But instead of looking reassured, Yuuki frowned at him. "I told you not to speak of that time again, Zero" she scolded. Then her look softened. "But you're... a guy, after all"

Zero took a moment to consider her words. "I'm also only seventeen, Yuuki" he replied. "And you are only sixteen. Both of us are much too young to go any further than this for the time being." His frank words made colour steal into Yuuki's cheeks again but it was the sureness in Zero's quiet voice that made hot tears sting her eyes – he was so understanding, so matured... even if sometimes he made her feel like a child. Yuuki told Zero as much now, teasing a smile from him.

"But you don't look like one" he told her softly, his fingertips grazing her nipple lightly through her pyjama shirt, making her gasp. "And I don't think of you as one, either" he added with a naughty wink as he trailed a gentle finger down her flushed cheek then regarded her with deep tenderness. "We'll only do whatever makes you comfortable, Yuuki" he told her huskily. "Nothing more than that, I promise"

Yuuki nodded and sniffed as a single tear spilled down her cheek. Zero's thumb brushed it away. "Besides, I don't fancy getting killed by your brother before I get to marry you, you know" he teased lightly. Yuuki smiled. "Well, I like what we did just now" she whispered.

"Me too, as you can tell" Zero's loving gaze was rueful and Yuuki's smile grew a little more daring. "And I like what you do to me, too" she confessed.

"Oh, I definitely like doing that to you, Yuuki" Zero reassured her, his eyes twinkling devilishly now. Yuuki sighed happily. "I love you, Zero" she murmured.

"I love you, Yuuki" he whispered back before kissing her thoroughly. Then Zero trailed light kisses along her jaw. "Do you want your turn now?" he whispered in her ear.

Yuuki blushed and giggled at the same time. "Not _now_, Zero!"

Ah yes... "You're having your menses. Right."

Yuuki nodded even though his directness made her blush again. "Yup"'

"Damn"

Yuuki giggled happily at that. Zero gave her another kiss before he stood up, pulling his unbuttoned shirt straight. "I need to shower now, wait for me?"

"Of course I will" Yuuki blew him a kiss then hugged her pillow as he left her room. She'd thought she was lucky before but she knew now, she was even luckier than she'd realised. Because this wonderful, loving and caring boy was hers and no one else's.

Just hers.

-- Chapter End --


	54. Chap 26: Man to Man

**Author Notes:** My apologies again for the delay in updating Hold Me. This chapter contains a major spoiler to Hold Me's sister story, **No Matter What** so please read that story (all of it, right till the end) if you haven't yet! This chapter's more necessary than romantic since it's mostly Kaname and Zero. More comments in my profile as usual. For now, enjoy the chapter and don't forget to review!

**Appreciation:** Thanks to **NAH-CHAN** and **panicatthediscotime **for their reminders to update Hold Me :D

-- Chapter Start --

Yuuki gave a sigh as she walked beside Zero, her left hand securely held in his right one. "Our holiday's almost over, Zero," she said wistfully. Zero turned his head to smile at her. "I know, you've told me that at least five times today. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to make it end faster."

Yuuki giggled and tried pulling her hand out of his but Zero tightened his fingers and wouldn't let go. "Silly," she said affectionately. "Who on earth would want such a beautiful holiday to end?"

"No one, least of all you. Have you started looking at your books again?" Zero was unable to keep from teasing Yuuki a little and she sniffed, tossing her head. "I'd rather ride on White Lily than hit the books," she muttered.

Zero grinned. "Let's go see her," he suggested. His bad tempered horse had grown quite used to Yuuki's presence now and would even let the female School Prefect pet her nose... if Zero was there as well.

- o -

The young couple walked hand in hand over the school grounds of Cross Academy, oblivious of a pair of deep brown eyes silently watching them. After a moment, the tall, silver haired boy placed an arm around the petite auburn haired girl's shoulders, drawing her close to his side. She smiled up at him as her own arm went around his waist and they walked on towards the stables, matching their strides to each other.

A frown drew Kaname Kuran's elegant brows together as he stood in front of the large window in Chairman Cross' study. The Headmaster had gone off to his kitchen to make another pot of tea for them both. Only a half hour ago Takuma, Aido, his older sister Akina, Sayori and the Chairman were in this room with the pureblood, where a surprising revelation had been revealed pertaining to Yori. Her pregnancy, to be exact.

For a moment, a faint smile hovered on the well shaped lips of the young pureblood leader. Well, that wasn't the only revelation of the day – Kaname was pleasantly surprised to learn that Aido, who had always been impetuous, rash and fond of chasing girls, had shown a surprising maturity as he accepted the fact that his future now was at the side of a human girl rather than one of the many vampire noble females he thought he would one day wed. And that wasn't all. Aido had also wholeheartedly embraced the fact that he was due to be a very young father in a matter of months and his dedication for Yori had warmed the heart of everyone who was in the room, including Kaname's.

But still...

Kaname's faint smile faded. He was prepared to lend his influence, if needed, to try to win Aido's parents over and to help get their acceptance of Yori. And he didn't doubt that the young couple would triumph over this challenge and take it in their stride. But that fact of the matter was that Aido and Yori really _were_ much too young to be parents at their age.

The pureblood stared unseeingly out of the window at the gently sloping school grounds. Yori was the same age as his own younger sister, Yuuki. He couldn't help wondering how he would feel if it was she who was in Yori's situation now, if his younger sister was the one nurturing a new life inside her when she was, in many ways, still a child herself.

Well, it was true that Yuuki would always remain a child in Kaname's eyes, a precious bloom to be protected from life's harsh realities and to be cosseted and cherished with tender, loving care. Kaname smiled a little whimsically without really realising it. He knew that Yuuki was fast growing up and that she had fully accepted the fact that the man in her life, boy rather, was a vampire and not a human, just as she had accepted the fact that the boy who had saved her life once and whom she thought herself in love with was actually her pureblood brother. Yuuki had wholeheartedly decided that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Zero Kiriyu over Kaname Kuran. That said something, didn't it, that she had chosen someone, not for his wealth, or his longevity or power of influence or anything else, but simply because she loved him and needed him?

Kaname couldn't deny how proud he was of Yuuki for the decisions she had made but he was worried all the same. He knew of the wholehearted trust she placed in the tall, quiet, silver haired boy. Kaname knew Zero loved his sister and would give his life for her in a second if he had to. He trusted Zero with his beloved sister's life; he always had, even before Yuuki had made her choice. He trusted the boy with her heart as well, he had seen enough to know that Zero would love no other girl and would always cherish Yuuki till the end of their days.

But trust Zero with his young sister's innocent virtue? The pureblood wasn't too sure about that. It wasn't because he thought that Zero would harm Yuuki in any way. But although they were both still young, they had shared kisses and hugs... most likely even more than that. And Yuuki still had no qualms about sharing her blood with him as well, despite the one time Zero had drained her so harshly that she fainted as he hovered on the edge of becoming Level E. Kaname could see that she trusted Zero implicitly.

Drinking another's blood often aroused passion for a vampire, and passion could be stronger than will. The last thing Kaname wanted was for what had happened to Yori to happen to his own younger sister, even though to be fair, Yori's pregnancy hadn't been brought on by bloodlust on Aido's part. But no, he did not want that to happen to Yuuki. Not now while she was still studying and not now at her still tender age. It had to wait until she was matured enough to offer Zero not only her love but her body as well and be fully ready for the responsibilities that would come along with it.

Kaname sighed as he turned away from the window. He'd been intending to have a talk with Zero on a certain matter since the start of the school holidays but almost six weeks had already flown by without him realising it. It was on the subject of letting the ex-human drink his pure blood and they had yet to come to some sort of arrangement on the matter. After all, Kaname had promised the two young lovebirds that his blood would be always available for Zero, to ensure both his survival and his sanity as well as preserve Yuuki's happiness. To him, that would always come first.

Yes, Kaname would definitely have to have that talk with Zero one day soon.

- o -

A few days later and the holiday was drawing to a close. Yuuki hummed to herself as she and Zero walked back to the main building after a late afternoon picnic. It had been yet another wonderful day of spending time together, laughing and talking, joking and kissing. Every hour of it had been wonderful, sweet fun.

When they entered the living room however, the Chairman popped his head out of his study. "Glad to see you two finally back... Zero, could you come in here for a minute, please?"

Zero shrugged in reply to Yuuki's questioning look as he handed the empty picnic basket to her and took a step forwards the direction of the study. Then he froze – there was someone else there with the Chairman. Kaname stepped out of the study and smiled at his younger sister. "Hello, Yuuki," he greeted softly. "Did you miss me?"

Yuuki beamed as she ran into her brother's embrace. "Kaname-ni-sama!" The pureblood hugged her lovingly then released her, aware of Zero's scent on his sister. "I need to have a chat with Zero for a few minutes, all right?"

Yuuki's smile widened immediately. "Of course!" she agreed at once before she reached out and tugged at Zero's sleeve with a meaningful look in her wide brown eyes. He knew what was on her mind – it was as good an opportunity as any to iron out the details of his taking Kaname's blood on a regular basis from now on.

"Yes," Zero agreed, unconsciously squaring his shoulders as he smiled at Yuuki and walked into the study. The Chairman clapped him on the shoulder as he went by then ushered Yuuki off to the kitchen, saying it was time they got started on dinner since Kaname would be joining them.

- o -

"Please sit down, Zero," Kaname invited with a smile as he closed the study door and gestured to one of the chairs opposite the desk.

Zero nodded warily. Kaname looked relaxed and at ease but the silver haired prefect couldn't help wondering what it was exactly that the pureblood wanted to discuss with him. Zero crossed the room and paused beside the chair a little uncertainly before looking at Kaname who was now standing by the window with both hands in his trouser pockets.

"How have you been?" Kaname asked casually. Zero gave a cautious nod. "Fine," he replied.

Kaname hesitated then spoke again. "Are you in need of my... blood... now?" he asked delicately, as if unsure of how it would sound like. Despite Kaname's genial tone, Zero blanched, not realising at that moment that it was actually very difficult for the pureblood to even ask that question, seeing as how he'd never offered his blood to anyone else before.

"I'm fine, Kur - er, Kaname," he replied quickly.

An elegant eyebrow arched. "Really?" the pureblood murmured. "It's been almost six weeks since the last time you took from me, remember?"

Of course Zero remembered – how could he forget? That was at the start of the school break, when Yuuki had chosen him over Kaname, even when Zero was on the verge of falling to Level E and before knowing that the pureblood was actually her older brother. Zero wasn't about to forget that momentous occasion for a long time. Perhaps forever.

"Yes," he replied. "I believe it was."

The atmosphere in the study had suddenly turned a little awkward. After all, they'd always been enemies and rivals. And even knowing that Kaname now approved of him dating his younger sister and had even helped him out that one time, Zero was a bit unsure as to respond to this enigmatic individual with the all too knowing expression in his dark eyes.

"You drank from Yuuki recently, didn't you?" Kaname asked quietly.

Zero met his gaze squarely. "Yes, I did. A few days ago as a matter of fact."

Fire flared briefly in the dark eyes. "Even after I told you that I would give you mine?" Kaname almost hissed at him and Zero bristled in response. That had been almost six weeks ago! And nothing had been said then about any future arrangements, so what right did Kuran have about stopping him from taking Yuuki's blood instead? It wasn't as if he would hurt her while doing so and it wasn't as if she minded either!

Zero bit his lip, holding back a sharp retort. _Easy... you did drain Yuuki that one time. He's just worried, that's all._

Indeed, the pureblood now looked like he was forcing himself to relax and a soft sigh issued from those well shaped lips. "My apologies, Zero," he said rather stiffly. "I realise that we have yet to discuss the arrangements of the sharing of my blood."

It was a rather awkward apology but then, Zero was no stranger to that, was he? He shrugged just as awkwardly. "Yeah, I meant to ask you about that, actually," he muttered.

There was silence for a moment as Kaname turned to look out of the window at the darkened school grounds, as if thinking of what to say next. Then he turned back to face Zero. "If you drink my blood regularly, you would not need to feed – or take from Yuuki. I would say once every four weeks until your condition stabilises then perhaps every six to eight weeks after that. It would all depend, of course, on your body's ability to absorb and process my blood."

Zero blinked at the very matter of fact delivery of this information - Kaname had sounded like quite the doctor here. The prefect found himself flushing a little as he remembered how he'd pressed his body against Kaname's as he buried his face in that long, pale neck and drank his fill of that intoxicatingly rich pure blood. He also remembered how Kaname's body had trembled against his. It had to be something new for the proud pureblood to be bitten and by someone you had never really liked in the first place, hadn't it?

"Uhm, thanks by the way," Zero mumbled embarrassedly. _Better late than never..._

Unexpectedly, Kaname smiled. "Don't worry, Zero. I intend to continue this arrangement indefinitely and will even mark it down in my diary so that you would not have to remind me when it's time." He waited until Zero had nodded again before continuing, "I know you quite well by now to know that you hate to ask but please do, Zero, if something comes up and you need my blood. Otherwise, you should probably take from me tomorrow before school reopens."

Zero shrugged diffidently, then forced himself to meet the other's eyes. "Thank you, Kaname." The pureblood nodded graciously and Zero found himself blurting out something. "I-I want you to know that I didn't take much from Yuuki that day. Just... enough."

Kaname regarded him solemnly for a moment then nodded. "Thank you, Zero. I'm glad you told me that."

Zero nodded as well. He thought it was pretty much the end of the discussion now especially since Kaname had turned to look thoughtfully out the window again. The prefect wondered if it was his cue to leave the study. After all, he should help Father and Yuuki out with dinner. Zero took a step towards the door, then stopped as Kaname called him. "Zero, wait."

The silver haired prefect looked up. The pureblood was looking very solemn now, almost stern. "What do you think about the matter of... Aido and Sayori?"

Zero frowned. Why was Kaname asking him this?

"I thought it was... unexpected," he answered cautiously. Kaname didn't even blink as he replied, "Sayori is much too young to have a baby, she's not even out of school yet. Even if she is matured for her age."

Zero wasn't too sure how to answer this – he was never the type to mind too much about what others did but something in Kaname's eyes told him the pureblood wasn't just saying this to make casual conversation. Could it possibly have anything to do with his own relationship with Yuuki?

Kaname looked like he was still waiting for his answer so Zero just nodded. The pureblood sighed; it looked like he would have to be more direct. "Zero, let me make this clear. I do not want what happened to Yori to happen to Yuuki."

Bingo – Zero had guessed right after all. A sudden wave of anger surged from his heart to his throat, almost choking him, and he opened his mouth to snap an angry retort. But then he closed it again abruptly. No... wait. Kaname was no longer his love rival but Yuuki's older brother, as concerned for her safety and happiness as he himself was. Zero didn't realise he was staring blankly at Kaname as his thoughts led him to a very intimate scene that had occurred in Yuuki's room a few days ago, and in particular the promise he had made her then.

Could he honestly be angry with the pureblood when he had actually thought the same thing himself? About not going too far with Yuuki? No, he couldn't. Not only because he needed Kaname on his side but because he knew that Yuuki had always wanted them to get along with each other. They were both very important to her in their own ways and they each had a place in her loving and generous heart. The heart he cherished as much as Kaname did.

Zero cleared his throat now, uncomfortably aware that heat was slowly but surely creeping up his cheeks. "I – I know how you feel, Kaname," he said cautiously and watched the pureblood start a little in surprise. Apparently, Kaname had been expecting him to blow up, and that made the prefect feel a little better at having caught the pureblood off guard. "But you don't have to worry. I will never push Yuuki into doing anything she doesn't want to."

Kaname blinked. Zero's eyes were steady on him and he stood with his shoulders back and his chin lifted, his voice filled with confidence. Kaname appreciated the honesty he was being given now and he should probably pull back from asking anymore... but he still needed more assurance.

"I'm glad you said that, Zero," he replied softly but with real warmth in his eyes. "I know you love Yuuki and would never want to hurt her. But each time you drink her blood, it is very easy to let it lead to something else particularly as you are in love with her, and her with you."

Zero flushed even deeper at the unmistakable meaning in Kaname's words and the pureblood smiled a little. "You don't have to be embarrassed, Zero. We are vampires, you and I. Taking the blood of another person, whether human or vampire affects us psychologically, and it gets even more intense when emotions or feelings are involved."

Kaname made sure he kept his voice level and matter of fact. After all, Zero had taken from him once too, and would continue to do so indefinitely. No need to freak the boy out...

Zero was silent as he let his gaze fall while he digested the pureblood's words and acknowledged them in his heart. Yes, he was aroused each time he drank from Yuuki and he also knew the way he held, kissed and touched her during and after each of those deliciously intimate moments left her aroused as well. There was no point in denying it to Kaname, was there?

"Tell me if I'm wrong, Zero," Kaname insisted quietly. Zero's startled gaze snapped up to his. He knew the pureblood was probably trying to find out just how far he and Yuuki had experimented with regards to the sexual aspect of their relationship. It made the silver haired prefect colour up even more. He was damned if he'd let Kaname know exactly how much. After all, he and Yuuki had gone pretty far on a couple of occasions, not to mention that fateful scene in the bathroom that one time. Letting the pureblood know all that was just signing Zero's own death warrant...

But apprehension was starting to show in Kaname's eyes now and that stirred something in Zero's heart. They were not on opposite sides after all, they were on the same side. They were not enemies, they were allies. And Kaname was waiting for Zero to tell him instead of just imposing his pureblood will on him. It would not be at all difficult for Kaname to bend Zero to his will and extract his honest confession before wiping his memory clean. But no, Kaname had decided to wait for his reply instead.

After a couple of minutes of battling with himself, Zero finally forced his gaze to meet Kaname's again. "I can't tell you that, Kaname. But I promise you this - I will not take Yuuki's virtue until the day we are wed."

It was a very difficult thing for Zero to say and possibly even more difficult to disclose it to Kaname instead of someone else, like the Chairman perhaps. Zero was flushing hotly now but not with shame or deceit. After all, he had made the same promise to Yuuki himself the other day, hadn't he?

Kaname let out the breath he wasn't aware he was holding. It hadn't escaped his notice that Zero had not said anything about touching or kissing Yuuki or going further than mere touching, but... unexpectedly, it was good enough for him. He knew that Zero would never hurt Yuuki and he had given a promise that he would not have her run the risk of having her studies and life disrupted by an unplanned pregnancy at her very young age.

Zero looked silently at Kaname, seeing the battle now being fought in the pureblood's heart. Then Kaname nodded slowly. "As long as you know where to stop, Zero, I am satisfied," he finally replied. His tone was sincere and Zero felt relief wash over him, even if his blush stubbornly remained. This had to be the most embarrassing conversation he had ever had in his life, even more so than the one he'd had with the Chairman when the older man had found out about he and Yuuki sharing beds...

"Thank you," Zero murmured, not exactly sure what he was actually thanking the pureblood for. But Kaname smiled unexpectedly. "Perhaps it would have been easier to discuss this issue with Cross?" he commented in a teasing tone.

Zero scowled at once. "Probably not," he replied dryly but his heart felt lighter all of a sudden. Even though he didn't actually _need_ Kaname's permission to love his sister, Zero was somehow glad that he had it all the same, that he could now kiss and hug Yuuki as much as he wanted and even share pleasure with her while they waited for the day they could truly belong to one another...

Zero stopped his daydreams with an effort. "I think I'd better go help with dinner now."

Kaname nodded solemnly. "I'm glad we had this discussion, Zero," he said sincerely and Zero found himself nodding in agreement. "So am I, Kaname," he answered truthfully before he left the study.

After all, Kaname and he were on the same side and it was good that they understood each other a little more now. It would definitely stand them in good stead when they became brothers-in-law one day.

-- Chapter End --


	55. Chap 27: Yori's Birth

**Author Notes:** Wow, I managed to update sooner rather than later! Sorry if it seems rushed since I've not had much time to spend on it. This chapter will also make more sense if you're familiar with Hold Me's sister story, No Matter What, so please read that one first if you haven't. It's _only_ twenty chapters! :D

**Appreciation:** I had toyed with the idea of writing a bit more on Aido and Yori's child following on from No Matter What but decided to do so for sure after receiving two reviews requesting for the same. Hence, my thanks to **RedMapleLeaf** and **CassiaFistula**. Hope you find this chapter enjoyable.

-- Chapter Start --

The petite, auburn haired girl walked up to the reception desk and smiled at the clerk behind it. "Hi, we're here to see a Ms Sayori Aido? She gave birth yesterday." The clerk returned the smile then checked the name of patients on her list. "Ah yes, she did. Are you her relatives or her friends?"

Yuuki knew the young lady was a vampire but her friendly and professional demeanor did not reveal that fact. "We're her friends," she answered.

"Please write both your names here..." Yuuki accepted the pen and wrote her name and Zero's then the clerk passed her two visitor passes. "Straight down the hall, it's the last door on your right."

Yuuki smiled her thanks and took up the passes, pinning one onto her sweater before pinning the second onto the front of Zero's shirt. The tall, silver haired prefect's face was half hidden behind the enormous hamper he was carrying, made up of baby wear, baby bath and an assortment of items suitable for a new born baby. The couple then proceeded down the hall, Yuuki looking around with her usual curiosity.

They were in a plush and exclusive hospital and were on the maternity floor. It was actually a hospital for vampires but Yori was allowed admittance, seeing as the father of her child was a vampire and hence her child would be as well, even if she herself wasn't one. As the two School Prefects walked on, they could hear the faint cries of babies coming from ahead and they soon passed a room with its large glass window facing the hall. It was the nursery, and Zero and Yuuki could see three rows of bassinets, half of them occupied with little newborns, either sleeping or exercising their tiny lungs while waving their mittened fists about.

Yuuki stopped walking at once and looked enraptured at the little bundles of joy, her palms pressed against the cool glass. "Oh Zero, look," she sighed happily. "Aren't they all adorable!" She tried looking for a baby with blond hair but there were three with golden curls and it was difficult to see which of them could be Yori's. There was no reply from her companion and Yuuki looked around. Zero had shifted the hamper to one side and was smiling wryly at her. "Precious when you don't have to care for them twenty four hours a day," he told her.

Yuuki wrinkled her nose at him at once. "That's part of the fun, Zero!" she shot back and Zero raised an eyebrow at her. "Tell me after you try it," he replied. Before Yuuki could say anymore, he indicated the hamper in his arms. "C'mon, let's go find Yori before I drop this." Yuuki nodded and gave the babies in the nursery a final look and wave before they continued walking. After the nursery were the actual rooms and Yori's was at the end, where it was quieter.

A few months had passed since the six week long holiday break ended. Yori was staying with Aido's family but even though she did not attend classes at Cross Academy anymore, she continued to keep in touch with her close friends by cell phone. The blond girl's wedding to Hanabusa Aido was very private and even Yuuki and Zero had not been invited although they had visited her a few months after that.

Yesterday, Yuuki finally received the wonderful news they had all been waiting for - Yori had given birth to her son and both mother and baby were doing very well. According to Yori, Aido had stayed by her side throughout the four hour labour and subsequent birth and was unsurprisingly more nervous that his level headed wife. Of course, by the time Yuuki had received the text message, all the Night Class students had already received similar news via the immensely proud young father, whose text messages had been much longer than Yori's and filled with details he hadn't realised not everyone would want to read about.

Since the birth had happened on a Friday, Chairman Cross had no problems about Zero and Yuuki taking the train to visit Yori. He even provided them with sufficient cash to stay at a hotel should the need arise, taking pains to inform a stoic Zero and an embarrassed Yuuki that they had enough this time to book two rooms instead of one. Yuuki hadn't stopped blushing until after she had left her adopted father's study. Kaname and Takuma were out of town but the other nobles would visit Aido and Yori at the Aido family home a week or so later.

Zero and Yuuki finally reached the end of the hall. A familiar voice called out "Come in!" when Yuuki knocked on the door and they entered the room.

It was around eleven in the morning and the drapes were half drawn. Zero winced at the twin high pitched squeals of delight that sounded when the two girls caught sight of each other. He shook his head ruefully as he pushed open the door wider and carried the hamper in carefully, setting it down onto a nearby table.

Yori was sitting up in bed, happily embracing Yuuki who was now sitting on the bed, facing her. Zero slid his hands into his jeans pockets and leaned back against the wall, prepared to wait out the visit. "Congratulations, Yori," he offered with a quiet smile once the two girls had parted after a long, happy, squealing moment.

Yori grinned happily at him, she looked a little tired but there was a radiant glow on her face that nothing could diminish. "Thank you, Zero-kun," she said warmly. "I'm so glad both of you came." She gestured to the chair next to the table and Zero nodded his thanks before sitting down. As expected, Yori had a room all to herself. It was large, airy and complete with all the trappings that were more suitable for a luxury hotel room than a hospital one, even if the usual medical equipment were still stationed about the bed. Zero had no doubt at all that the adjoining bathroom would be just as plush.

"This is wonderful, Yori-chan! You and Aido-sempai must be over the moon!" exclaimed Yuuki happily. Then she looked around. "But where's your baby?" she asked, her disappointment obvious. Yori laughed softly. "He'll be here in a minute, don't worry," she said and sure enough, a quiet tap sounded on the door a minute later before a uniformed nurse carefully wheeled in a bassinet. She stationed it next to the two girls with a smile and a nod before exiting the room.

"Ooh…" breathed Yuuki reverently as she looked down upon a pink cheeked infant with soft, downy golden curls clustering about his tiny head. His eyes fluttered open after a moment and Yuuki found herself looking into a pair of light gray irises, hazy but curious.

"They'll turn blue in a couple of months," explained Yori as she bent forward and lifted her child into her arms. Yori had not been a mother for even twenty four hours but her movements were deft and sure. When Yuuki remarked on this, the blond girl smiled. "You forget, my brother is a doctor and I used to babysit my younger cousins in the past."

Yuuki smiled, half in wonder and half in envy. "Is there anything you can't do, Yori-chan?" she asked, making Yori laugh as she started unbuttoning her maternity top. Mothers who wanted to breastfeed their babies were encouraged to let their child suckle at their breasts as soon and as frequently as possible after the birth to encourage the flow of milk. Without being told, Zero jumped up from his seat and strode over to the window, making sure he wasn't at all looking in the direction of the bed, his ears tingling from the muffled giggles he could hear coming from Yuuki as she picked up a clean hand towel and draped it over Yori's shoulder at her request.

"It's all right, Zero-kun, you can sit back down again," Yori called out. Zero hesitated before he looked over his shoulder and both girls nodded and smiled at him. A quick glance confirmed that Yori was adequately covered and he went back to sit on the chair at the foot of the bed, picking up the newspaper on the table to leaf through it.

The two girls chatted for a few minutes over the details of the birth. Yori wasn't surprised to hear that the entire Night Class already knew that she had given birth and were informed on the time of birth, weight of the baby and a wealth of other details that Aido obviously deemed important enough to impart.

"Hanabusa will be here soon, in fact," Yori commented as she switched her son to her other breast, making Zero suddenly bury his face behind the newspaper.

"What? Shouldn't he be sleeping? asked Yuuki in surprise, making Yori laugh. Within a couple of minutes, light and rapid footsteps could be heard outside in the hall and Hanabusa Aido entered the room a few seconds later. His startled blue eyes fell upon Zero in the chair, then Yuuki sitting on his wife's bed, then finally to the most beautiful sight in his opinion – that of Yori nursing their infant at her breast even if the perfect image was slightly marred by the towel protecting Yori's modesty.

It took a certain amount of willpower for Aido to not ignore the two School Prefects and give his wholehearted attention to his wife and son but he managed.

"Kiriyu, Yuuki... nice of you to come visit us," he murmured.

Zero got up and held out his hand, offering his congratulations once again. Aido beamed at him, a far cry from the impulsive noble he'd once come across, suffering from accidental bloodlust in Chairman Cross' kitchen. But then again, they had grown a little closer after Zero and Yuuki's visit to his family home about a month ago. After accepting Yuuki's congratulations, Aido moved closer to Yori's side at last, his adoring gaze fixed upon his baby son in his wife's arms. Yori gave him a meaningful look from her green eyes as she tilted her head in Zero's direction. Aido grinned ruefully at her but obediently walked over to the silver haired prefect.

"Hey, let's go get a coffee, shall we?" the noble invited. "I've not had much sleep for the past few days!" Technically, it was still 'night' for Aido but he'd woken up after a few hours' sleep, eager to see his wife again. Still, he knew Yori preferred to have a chat with her friend now. Zero folded the newspaper and glanced at Yuuki who nodded at him. She had no idea what the two of them would find to talk about but she, too, had missed a heart to heart chat with Yori and now was as good a time as any.

As the door closed behind the two males, Yuuki turned back to smile warmly at her friend. Yori smiled back then disengaged her already sleeping son from her breast. "Do you want to hold him for a while?" she asked Yuuki who nodded eagerly, her wide brown eyes shining. Yori placed her son in her friend's waiting arms and Yuuki held the baby carefully as she gazed into his peacefully sleeping face. "Oh, he's so adorable, Yori-chan!" she breathed.

Yori smiled. "I know," she agreed quietly. It hadn't been an easy birth for her, mainly because her hips were almost too slender to pass the baby through but Yori had persevered despite the pain because she didn't want a Caesarean birth unless it was absolutely necessary. Yori told Yuuki about her experience and the auburn haired girl couldn't help laughing at how Aido had bossed around the doctor and nurse in attendance, irritating them no end and almost getting himself thrown out of the labour room before Yori told him to calm down and let them do their job.

Yuuki smiled a little wistfully as she watched her ex-classmate place her son back into his bassinet and tuck him under the soft, blue flannel blanket. "I feel like you've left me behind already, Yori-chan."

Yori gave her a startled look. "Left you behind? Because I've left school, you mean?"

Yuuki started to nod then shook her head. "Yes, but that's not all. Not only are your grades more advanced than mine, you're also married with a loving husband and a beautiful baby as well!"

Yori smiled. "You'll have that too in the future, Yuuki-chan. You know Zero-kun loves you more than life itself and he'll be a wonderful husband and father one day." Yuuki had told her of how she had to make her choice between Kaname and Zero when she hadn't known the latter was her older brother, and how Zero had tried to push her away even after she'd decided, convinced that he did not have long to live and care for her.

"I'm so, so lucky to have Zero in my life," Yuuki murmured softly, her soft brown eyes glowing with unshed tears. Yori nodded. "Just don't make a mistake like me and have to get married too young!" she teased. Yuuki laughed and blushed. She too, knew how and why Yori's pregnancy had occurred. "Of course not! Zero and I have a... uh, that is, we have decided..." she stammered before drifting off. Yori quickly held up a hand. "Spare me the details, please," she said and both girls laughed again.

After a while, Yuuki sighed. "You've always been mature, Yori, but you've grown up so much now."

Yori could laugh at this now. "You mean compared to that pitiful and panicky girl who came to you at the end of the school holidays?" she smiled. Yuuki nodded and added, "Well, you were a lot calmer too when we visited you last time." It was the blond girl's turn to sigh. "I'm lucky Aido's parents have accepted me wholeheartedly and taken such good care of me," she said. "It can't have been easy for them to swallow the fact that their only son's wife isn't a vampire, let alone a noble. Our son... and any other children we have won't be nobles, either..." It was Yori's turn to drift off as she looked away.

Yuuki squeezed her shoulder supportively as her eyes softened. "Hey, so what if 'Idol-sempai' had married a snooty noble, huh? She could have made his life miserable and been a terrible wife and mother to boot. I'm sure his parents and sisters would much rather have their son marry a wonderful woman who would make their son happy and be a wonderful mother to their children, right?"

Yori smiled through her tears. "You always know what to say, Yuuki-chan," she whispered as she hugged her friend tightly. "And that's exactly what I'll be," she added and the auburn haired girl smiled and nodded. After a moment, Yori drew back and snatched a tissue to mop at her eyes. "Hey, promise me you'll keep in touch even after you get married, OK?"

Yuuki laughed. "Of course I will. We have a lot in common, Yori-chan, even if I'm not half as brainy as you! We met each other at Cross Academy and we both fell in love with, guess what, vampires...!"

Yori had to smile at that. "Yes and that means our children will have something in common as well." Yuuki nodded as she remembered a similar conversation she had had with Zero during the past school holidays when they had talked about their future. Looking at her friend now, she wondered if Yori had made up her mind about whether she wanted to live out the rest of her life with Aido as a human or as a vampire. After all, Kaname-ni-sama had offered… But Yuuki didn't want to ask. After all, Yori still had time on her side and she'd only given birth…

"Yuuki-chan?" Yuuki looked up to see wise green eyes looking at her. "Are you thinking about my decision, by the way?"

Yuuki smiled and nodded. Most people she knew could read her like a book. "You don't have to tell me anything, it's none of my business, really," she protested.

"But you're my best friend, Yuuki-chan," Yori countered. "Only I've still not fully decided yet." She hesitated for a moment before turning to gaze out of the window unseeingly. "But perhaps I will... in a couple of years' time," she murmured before turning back to see Yuuki's smile. "Somehow, I knew you wouldn't be afraid," Yuuki said.

Yori smiled back. "You know me quite well, too!" They exchanged a silent hug. One of them had crossed a milestone in her life, the other hadn't - but it didn't mean they couldn't still be best friends, right?

The door opened a few moments later and Zero and Aido came back in. "What, still not done talking?" asked Zero dryly. "If I have anymore coffee, I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight!" Yuuki smiled at him and got up from the bed at once and walked over to him.

Aido picked up his sleeping infant. Cradling him in his arms in an expert fashion, the proud noble bent to drop a kiss on his son's soft curls. Yori gave him a loving smile - her husband continued to surprise her. He too, had come a long way since he started to know her. Aido had matured almost overnight when he realised he was going to be a father and she loved him for his wholehearted commitment to her and their son, even if he had been adorably panicky and worried in the labour room yesterday. But she shook her head primly at him now. "Hanabusa will spoil our son rotten in no time."

Aido grinned at her, not in the least bit perturbed. "You'd better give me a few more so I won't have only one child to spoil, sweetheart. Besides, even if I don't spoil him, Akina and the others will, my parents included. And yours."

No one saw the slight shadow that veiled Yori's green eyes at her husband's last remark as Yuuki had walked over to the door where Zero was waiting. "We're staying overnight in town so we'll come see you again tomorrow, Yori-chan, OK?"

Both Aido and Yori nodded and smiled before their attention were completely taken up by their son who had woken up again.

- o -

Zero and Yuuki walked hand in hand to the hotel a couple of blocks away from the hospital. The auburn haired girl was being uncharacteristically silent and after a while, Zero glanced down at her.

"What's on your mind, Yuuki?" he asked.

Yuuki smiled at him. "It was wonderful seeing Yori and Aido with their baby. Zero, it made me suddenly long for a child of our own!"

Zero laughed indulgently even though the same thought had crossed his mind when he saw Yori, then Aido carry their son. Yes, it would be wonderful to go through that experience too... some day.

"We're still too young for that, Yuuki," he replied as he placed an arm around her shoulders. "I would probably get killed by Father before even Kaname gets to me!" he added feelingly. Yuuki pursed her lips before nodding in agreement and Zero bent forward to kiss the top of her head. "We have plenty of time to raise our own children, dearest," he added softly, making her blush.

"Yori thinks you'll make a wonderful father, Zero," Yuuki said softly, watching the amethyst eyes widen in surprise. "Really?" he asked.

Yuuki nodded happily. "Yup," she said. "And she also wants us to keep in touch even after we're married - do you know what that means?"

Zero rolled his eyes, knowing the actual meaning behind Yuuki's words. "It means I'll have to bear with Aido's insufferable advice that he's bound to hand to me from time to time," he said dryly and Yuuki giggled. "Oh, I'm sure Yori will make sure he doesn't go overboard, Zero!"

The silver haired prefect only shrugged. "Don't worry, I'm sure parental advice won't kill me." It was said with his usual light sarcasm but Yuuki knew what it meant - Zero was all right with the possibility of him and Aido being more than mere acquaintances and she smiled happily at that.

As they walked up to the hotel, Zero pulled Yuuki closer to his side. "So... one room or two, Yuuki? Father's given us enough cash this time."

Yuuki tilted her head up to give him a slow, sweet smile that started from her brown eyes. "I think we should start saving money for our future, Zero," she managed to say seriously before her lips quirked irrepressibly.

Zero grinned and tilted her chin up a little more to kiss her softly on the lips. "You know what? I think so too, dearest."

-- Chapter End --


	56. Chap 28: Double Dare

**Author Notes:** My apologies for not updating Hold Me sooner. This chapter is again, lemony. LOL... I should probably stop writing these kind of chapters coz they're starting to seem awfully repetitive to me but that's about the best I can do at this point! _-cringes and hides-_ Just in case you're wondering, I have 4 more updates before Hold Me ends, planned as 2 chapters with 2 parts each. Well, despite the repetitiveness, hope you still enjoy this chapter!

-- Chapter Start --

Unlike their previous hotel room stay, it was Yuuki who walked up to the hotel desk clerk this time to request a single room for the night. There was no protest whatsoever from the tall, silver haired boy who stood beside her and after she had filled in the form, Yuuki sneaked a sideways glance at Zero. He was looking at her and she couldn't resist giving him a wink that made him smile even as he quirked one knowing eyebrow at her. Without a word, they were both remembering the last time they had shared a hotel room together, and how Zero had tried to get them separate rooms before Yuuki - as was usually the case - got her own way.

Since the earliest check in time was two o'clock in the afternoon, they decided to have a leisurely lunch in town first. It was a much bigger town than the one next to Cross Academy and when they had taken a taxi to the vampire hospital earlier to visit Yori, they had both seen the shopping mall that boasted a cinema on its top floor. Both Zero and Yuuki decided to take in a movie after dinner tonight.

"Well, it's going to be hot this afternoon, Zero. Where do you want to go after lunch?" asked Yuuki absently as they walked out of the hotel into the bright sunshine, having left their shoulder bags with the hotel porter. She looked up at Zero, her eyes glowing with admiration as he slipped on his sunglasses. Zero looked gorgeous like this even if his eyes were hidden for now. Happily, she linked her arm through his.

Zero shrugged. "Back to the hotel? We should probably have a nap since we got up early this morning..." Yuuki nodded readily. She had a feeling a nap wasn't all her silver haired boyfriend had in mind but it wasn't as if she minded in the least…

- o -

Yuuki was half right and half wrong after all.

Zero had fully intended to rest after lunch but found it rather difficult with Yuuki lying in his arms and clad in her favourite pyjamas – the pale yellow satin shirt and trouser set. She was very distracting to the eye, very pliant in his arms, and definitely very responsive to his touch.

Zero was wearing a T-shirt and boxers and at first, he had merely cuddled Yuuki with her back pressed up against his chest, the position they both favoured. But then he had pushed aside her shirt collar to bury his face in the soft, fragrant skin at the side of her neck and it seemed so natural and right to dust a few reverent kisses there. Yuuki both smelled and tasted sweet; she always did and Zero couldn't help himself from sampling her neck with his tongue. The puffs of warm air on Yuuki's damp skin and Zero's ministrations soon had her squirming against him, soft moans and giggles falling from her lips in turn.

She turned to face him and they both happily exchanged loving kisses and caresses, making their heartbeats quicken. Before long, Zero tumbled Yuuki beneath him, his fingers roaming over her slim arms, down to her hips and up again, loving how the silky satin material under his fingertips had warmed with her body heat. Eager for more, he trailed a line of kisses over her delicate jaw line before moving downwards. Yuuki sighed as he slid a hand under her shirt and explored her abdomen, slowing travelling upwards. She giggled as Zero shifted lower to presses ticklish kisses onto her flat stomach. "Ah... Zero!"

The silver haired prefect merely sent her a wicked smile before he lowered his face again to tug her shirt up with his lips, knowing she wore nothing underneath. "Zero..." Yuuki moaned as she shivered, her slender fingers knotting in silky, silver strands as his fingertips lightly ghosted over one taut and quivering nipple. Yuuki's breathing hitched at that light contact that made her tingle all over and she let her fingers trace delicate patterns on his shoulders and chest, sweeping her soft palms over his arms and sides, waiting breathlessly for the moment when he would worship her breasts with his mouth. Zero took his time though, as he shifted up again and let his mouth travel leisurely down her chest, skillfully undoing the buttons as he went and adoring every inch of exposed skin. When he had finally laid bare Yuuki's chest, he made his way to a soft, round breast and claimed its waiting peak. Yuuki moaned softly, arching into Zero's skillful touch as her fingers gripped his broad shoulders.

Zero's weight was half resting on her but Yuuki didn't mind. She could feel his arousal against her thigh now but there was no fear in her as she rubbed her knee against it, feeling it throb against her through the thin cotton of his boxers and the satin of her trousers. But at length, Zero groaned and moved away from her to sit with his back facing her. Yuuki's eyes fluttered open as his warm weight left her. "Zero?"

Zero half turned to face her. He was breathing hard. "Give me a minute, Yuuki, I'll be fine."

Yuuki smiled, reaching out to run her fingertips gently down his bare arm. "Aw, are you stopping so soon then?" she questioned him teasingly. Zero thought about scowling but gave up and shook his head before turning back, trying to regulate his breathing and control his desire. A tiny frown etched itself between Yuuki's delicate eyebrows and she sat up to move closer to him, lean against his back and curling her arms around his waist. "Sorry for teasing you. Are you OK now?" she asked softly.

Zero sighed softly as he rested his arms over hers automatically. "That depends, Yuuki."

"On what?"

"On how long you're going to press yourself like that against me when I'm... uh, like this."

"Oh? Like how?" Yuuki's voice was the epitome of pure innocence and Zero had no doubt at all that if he were to turn around and see her face now, her soft brown eyes would look just as innocent. "Like how, Zero?" Yuuki persisted, a half hidden giggle apparent in her tone now. Zero scowled. He grabbed one of her hands and slid it down his abdomen, pressing her palm hard against his arousal.

Yuuki squealed softly but didn't pull away, her fingers automatically curling to hold and stroke him. Zero's head tilted back and his breath escaped in a long hiss between his teeth as a gentle finger rubbed his engorged tip teasingly through the already damp cotton. It made him harder still. Zero fought briefly with himself before he forced himself to push her hand away and quickly stood up – a cold shower was now in order before he could even think of taking a nap. He shook his head ruefully.

_Since when had it been a good idea to share a room with the most beautiful and tempting girl in the world?_

Zero took two steps towards the adjoining bathroom but Yuuki had jumped off the bed and grabbed his arm. "Zero?"

He swung around to fix Yuuki with a stern look, forcing his eyes to remain on her face and not on what lay beneath the now gaping shirt front. "Little girls who play with fire get their fingers burned, Yuuki," he warned her with a grim look on his face. Yuuki pouted but lifted her chin to look Zero in the eye. "But you'll never hurt me, I know it."

As she had perhaps known it would, Zero's stern mask fell at once, leaving him looking rather uncertain now. "How can you be so sure?" he asked softly, lifting a hand to brush the backs of his fingers lightly down her cheek. Yuuki smiled tremulously at him. "Because I trust you, Zero. I know you... and I love you. You can never frighten me, no matter what you do."

Zero's intense gaze grew heated, love and desire glowing in them as he glanced down involuntarily to her enchanting and exposed figure. "Even if I go too far, Yuuki?" he whispered uncertainly. Yuuki nodded resolutely. "Even then," she replied. "But I know you won't," she added in a whisper, her eyes shining with wholehearted trust and her lips parting as Zero dipped his head, claiming her lips in a long kiss that was both sweet and passionate. A long and tender moment later, he lifted his head to smile into soft brown eyes. "I wish you didn't trust me quite so much, Yuuki," Zero murmured. "It would make things a lot easier for me, you know."

Yuuki smiled back. She loved how Zero took his promises seriously, so that she could be bolder and unafraid in exploring the borders of their loving a little more, knowing that he would always keep both his promises and her, very safe. "Kiss me again," she whispered now, sliding her palms up his shirt front and holding onto his broad shoulders.

Zero complied, his lips and hands hungry now for Yuuki's taste and her touch. "Hold onto me," he growled as his hands clamped around her waist and lifted her up, pinning her in between the wall and his body. This position was reminiscent of that time when Zero had pinned her to the bathroom wall but it didn't arouse any fear in Yuuki. Without hesitation, she wound her slender legs around his waist then wrapped her arms around his neck, giving herself up to the kiss that went on and on.

When the kiss stopped, Zero didn't. He trailed his lips slowly down Yuuki's chin and neck, pausing to lick at the pulse jumping in the tender hollow of her throat. He could feel the sweet ache in his jaws where his fangs were elongating with passion but he ignored that for now and simply buried his face in her neck instead, breathing in that sweet, soft scent he cherished. Yuuki squirmed breathlessly in his arms, her hips making him harder and harder with each sweetly passionate moment. A sweet and familiar ache had started to build up between her hips now and she wanted Zero to relieve it with his loving touch.

Finally, Zero dragged his lips down Yuuki's chest, hoisting her higher up against the wall. He buried his face in the hollow between her breasts, heaving slightly with each breath she took. Yuuki moaned softly as Zero's lips traced a lazy path over one swelling mound, drawing closer and closer to its quivering peak. She waited with barely held patience until he finally reached her hardened nipple. "Zero!" she cried out softly as he suckled her softly, then sucked her deep into his mouth, his rasping tongue making her squirm in mindless delight as she dug her nails into his shoulders and pressed against him, soft cries falling from her lips like the sweetest music. Zero was pushing her hard against the wall as well, but Yuuki didn't mind, her shaking fingers spearing through his silver hair to hold his head against her as he lavished kisses and licks on both of her breasts in turn.

It wasn't until Zero realised his hips were rubbing sensuously against hers that he finally lifted his head. Yuuki exhaled on a quivering sigh and opened her eyes, staring down into his amethyst ones, dark and smoky with desire. "Are you OK?" Zero asked as solemnly as he could, his breath coming out unsteadily between his parted lips. Yuuki could see the glint of his fangs and she suddenly craved to have Zero take from her... if not her body, then at least her blood.

"Drink from me," she invited breathlessly. Zero frowned a little although he was tempted to. "I don't need to, right now," he said and shook his head. Yuuki smiled slowly, her fingers sliding to his shirt buttons and slowly undoing them. Zero's hold on her loosened involuntarily, making her slide down the wall a little. "I know," Yuuki murmured before leaning forward and dipping her head to taste a male, hardened nipple. She drew back as Zero gasped, then lifted her head to smile at him again, her eyes bright with sudden intent. "But I want you to. And I want you to touch me again..." Yuuki paused to dip her head again and Zero gasped once more as she flicked her tongue at his other nipple. When she looked up again, her brown eyes were as smoky as his. "... there, Zero." She finished with a meaningful glance downwards, where their hips were still molded to each other.

Zero swallowed hard. He'd only touched her there once after the school holidays had ended and he missed the experience. He missed seeing Yuuki completely undone by his touch and his touch alone and her eager yet shy responses. He longed to see that again so much. "Are you sure, Yuuki?" he asked, his hand already sliding down her pyjama front to cup her gently. The pale yellow satin there was slightly moist and darting a startled glance to his own boxers, he realised why. "Uhm, sorry," he mumbled in chagrin.

"Don't be, Zero. I'll do you later," Yuuki promised in a whisper, her cheeks reddening as Zero pressed forward and rubbed his hips against hers again, leaving no doubt as to how agreeable he was to her suggestion. Then he thought of something.

"Yuuki? Do you... do you want to _see_ us?" he asked suddenly, tilting his head at the study table that doubled up as a vanity table. It was next to the window but the drapes were already tightly drawn. Yuuki followed his direction and stared. Then she gulped... but nodded all the same. Zero's smile was predatory now as he lowered her to the floor, then took her hand and led her to the table. Yuuki's legs were more than a little unsteady but she managed, her heart tripling in nervous excitement. The seat of the chair was higher than usual. Zero grabbed a couple of cushions from the nearby armchairs and and stacked them one on top of the other on the chair seat, making it higher still. He sat down on the top cushion before pulling Yuuki up onto his lap, her back against his chest so that they both faced the mirror.

Yuuki's blush deepened. The mirror was tall and easily reflected them from head to hip... did she really want to see this? She didn't know...

"You aren't having your menses at this time, am I right?" Zero whispered in her ear, even though he knew she wasn't. Yuuki shook her head, her mouth dry. Her menses had cleared about a week ago and if she was damp now, it was with pure excitement.

Slowly, Zero drew her collar over her shoulder, exposing one creamy shoulder and breast as he had done previously. Then his eyes met hers in the mirror. Yuuki's eyes were huge but she smiled as Zero hesitated. "I dare you to," she offered in a sudden challenge and watched as Zero smiled back. "I love you," he said and Yuuki's smile quivered. "I love you, Zero," she murmured. His words had eased her fear and Yuuki made herself comfortable in his arms.

"Bite me," she whispered and Zero bent his head, fitting his face in the crook of her neck as she tilted her head to the other side. He licked and kissed her neck as his fingers danced over the soft, silky skin under the unbuttoned satin shirt, dancing up and down her ribs and over her breasts but never actually touching her swollen nipples. Yuuki arched her back into Zero's touch. "Please, Zero!" she pleaded but he still took his time to prepare her neck with kisses and licks until as his fangs finally pierced her, his fingertips claimed her nipples at the same time.

Yuuki cried out sharply, her back arching again as her pulse raced and her blood spilled into Zero's eagerly waiting mouth. He sucked gently on her neck, his fingers teasing her at the same time, drinking in her sweet blood as well as the soft cries tumbling from her lips. Yuuki trembled as her fingers tightened in Zero's hair, her other hand covering his teasing one, her huge eyes taking in the erotic picture they made in the mirror. Yes, she knew she was playing with fire now... but she loved it all the same. Zero was loving and caring but passionate at the same time and she loved it. She loved him.

Zero forced himself to stop drinking before he took too much from Yuuki and tenderly licked the puncture wounds closed as he continued to lavish attention on Yuuki's now swollen breasts. Then he licked his lips clean and claimed her lips in a loving kiss. "Thank you, Yuuki," he murmured. Yuuki nodded as his hands fell away. She leaned back against him and glanced at the mirror again, blushing even deeper at the sight of her half naked reflection in Zero's arms, the skin she hardly exposed even paler than his toned arm around her waist. "Are you done, by the way?" she asked softly and he smiled at her. "Nowhere near done," he replied and lowered his mouth to her shoulder, licking a slow trail of fire towards her neck and gently across her jaw line.

Yuuki's already wide eyes grew wider as his right hand slowly dipped over her stomach, fingertips light and teasing before disappearing into the waistband of her pyjama pants. "Oh, Zero..." she murmured, half scandalised as she now realised why Zero had raised the seat of the chair with cushions – with her seated on his lap, they could both see _everything_ in the mirror.

And she meant 'Everything'.

Zero's fingertips were dancing along the soft skin on her inner right thigh now, drawing small, light circles as he went along, making her shiver in delight. "Zero, did you mean that we could – ah!" Yuuki broke off, her back arching against him again as his fingertips reached her most intimate place and stroked the damp, sensitive flesh gently. Teasingly. Yuuki was more than just damp now and Zero groaned in satisfaction as his fingers slipped and slid against her swollen flesh until he got to the spot that made her cry out, her hips falling helplessly open so that her slender legs straddled his thighs on either side.

Zero smiled against her ear. "Tell me, Yuuki, do you want to see me pleasure you?" he asked, his voice a husky rasp against the delicate shell of her ear. His seductive words sent a thrill of forbidden excitement tingling up Yuuki's spine and she bit her lip. Zero waited for her reply, his fingers stilling on her flesh and she moaned softly in frustration. "Yes!" she panted. "I want to see... us -"

Zero's breathing grew a little more ragged but he nodded as he withdrew his hand then eased the waistband of her trousers slowly down her quivering hips, stroking her silky skin reassuringly. Yuuki leaned back and lifted her buttocks slightly to allow him to slide the silky material past and Zero pulled her trousers off completely, tossing it onto the bed. Placing his left arm under both her knees, he raised her further so that this time, she was clearly exposed in the mirror. Completely.

"Ooh...!" More colour flooded Yuuki's cheeks. Her eyes widened even more before she squeezed them shut. What on earth was Zero thinking! Wait – what was _she_ thinking? She had never even _seen_ herself there until now and - and -

"Open your eyes, dearest," Zero coaxed her. As Yuuki reluctantly did, he smiled tenderly into her shocked eyes. "Do you want this, Yuuki?" he asked softly and waited for her reply. She gulped, wide eyed once more as she leaned her head back against his shoulder. "Yes, I do," she whispered, half wanting, half fearful, her eyes locked onto her flushed, wide eyed reflection.

Zero smiled at her reassuringly and captured her lips in a loving kiss. "Only touch you, Yuuki, nothing else," he promised. Then his right hand moved again and Yuuki gasped, her shocked eyes following his slight movements in the mirror as he stroked her once more, igniting sparks that tingled inside of her. "Zero!" Yuuki moaned, her hips bucking helplessly against the magic of his long fingers. Zero kept his gaze on the mirror even as he dropped soft kisses on her hair, her exposed shoulder and neck. "Yes, Yuuki," he murmured against her soft skin. "Just relax and and enjoy this," he added. He increased the pressure of his fingers and Yuuki arched helplessly against his back again, her breathing hitching in her throat and coming out in short, light pants, her exposed skin dewing with passion.

"Zero!" she cried out huskily as she squirmed desperately on his thighs and bucked against his hand, her gaze still on the mirror before her. Yuuki's responses were helping Zero in the least to rein in his own desire especially since he was full aroused as well but Yuuki came first – in every way that mattered to Zero. He concentrated on nothing but her pleasure, thrilling in her light, panting breath and soft moans. He wanted to feel more of her, everything he could.

Slowly, gently, Zero slid a finger upwards. Yuuki gasped at the foreign sensation, her hips and insides clamping around his hand and finger but it felt good... very good. Her thighs relaxed and parted again as she uttered a soft mewl of pure pleasure and Zero growled in return as he added another finger, taking care to stretch her very, very gently as he pushed her closer and closer to a breathtaking orgasm. He was aware of Yuuki's muscles tightening against him as they both continued to watch their erotic reflection and it wasn't long before Zero undid her completely, her slender body spasming in his arms as she cried out his name. Waves of sheer pleasure were rushing from her core outward to every part of her body, right to the very tips of her fingers and toes. Yuuki helpless in its onslaught, her hands clamped tightly onto his forearms, head pressed back hard against his shoulder. She unable to think or even speak at this moment, she could only feel and feel and feel...

Zero didn't let up, he could feel Yuuki's tightness convulsing around his fingers and he continued to massage her sensitised flesh lovingly, dropping soft kisses onto her neck and making sure she enjoyed every bit of her passionate release as he drew it out as long as he could. The sweet intensity finally ebbed and Yuuki collapsed against him, her entire body trembling and glowing with moist satisfaction.

Zero looked down into her glazed eyes and kissed her tenderly. "You were amazing, Yuuki," he smiled with satisfaction. _And you're all mine. For always._

Yuuki smiled tiredly. "You were amazing too, Zero," she murmured, reaching up to capture his lips in soft kiss. "That was so... uh, so decadent!" she declared, averting her gaze from the mirror now. Zero noticed but only smiled into her eyes. "Yes, it was," he agreed seriously. After another minute or so of delicious silence, in which Zero hugged her tightly to him and Yuuki hid her still hot face in his chest, enjoying his scent, the rather uneven beat of his heart in contrast to her own slowing down one, she finally sat up and looked at him. Her eyes had widened again because Zero's hips were thrusting up against her.

"Uhm, Zero?" she asked, her voice quivering a little. Zero clenched his eyes shut and held his traitorous and aroused body still with an effort. It would be so easy, so very easy now to go just that one, delicious step further... For one thing, Yuuki was already straddling his lap, her slender legs spread wide on either side of his thighs. For another, her lower half was unclothed and fully exposed to him. In addition, her body was ready, moist and welcoming, any discomfort she felt would be minimal. Finally, he knew that Yuuki wouldn't even fight him. All he had to do was push his boxers down his hips, rock his body upwards... and claim her as he longed to do.

His boxers were all that lay between them now.

Zero's eyes snapped open, their usual amethyst hue now dark with desire now as they looked straight into the mirror and locked onto Yuuki's wide brown eyes. She swallowed, seeing the almost frightening intensity in his face. She knew what was on his mind because his hips had started moving again, thrusting up against her. She knew that all that separated them now from truly being together was just a thin layer of damp cotton, that was all. Yuuki swallowed again. "Zero?" she asked.

But no, that was not all that stood between Zero and his wanting to make Yuuki truly his. Two other things were there as well - as fresh, vibrant and true as the day they were made...

His promise to Yuuki... and his promise to Kaname.

Zero closed his eyes, breathing agitatedly. He dropped his forehead to Yuuki's shoulder and tightened his hold around her slender waist, breathing in deep gulps of air as he shuddered against her back. "Yes, Yuuki," he groaned. "I do so want... but I won't. Not now."

He took another deep breath, then another before finally lifting his head to smile ruefully at her. Softly, he pressed his lips to her cheek. "Don't look like that, dearest," Zero said softly. "I made a promise to you, remember?" he asked._ And to Kaname, too._

Yuuki's expressive eyes brimmed with tears at once. "Oh, Zero," she breathed and he smiled, a long finger under her chin to lift her face a little more. "Just give me a minute," he murmured against her lips. But Yuuki shook her head and Zero raised his head, surprised. "No, Zero. It's your turn. Now." she said firmly.

Zero blinked before a slow grin tugged at his lips. "Are you sure?" he asked. She had tried her hand at it twice now but he still had to finish the job himself in the end. Not that he minded her still tentative but earnest attentions in the least... Zero released Yuuki and she got down onto the carpet, having to hold onto the back of the chair for a moment before her legs felt stable enough to take her weight. She was now wearing only her unbuttoned shirt and the enticing sight only made Zero harder than ever.

"I'm sure, Zero, and I want to do it right here," Yuuki declared. It was Zero's turn to be shocked and he stared at her. "In front of the mirror?" he asked disbelievingly. The auburn haired girl gave him a deceptively innocent smile. "Of course!" she said, feeling a sweet triumph as Zero looked even more startled, warm colour sweeping over his cheeks. "Uh, OK," he mumbled, looking down again.

Ah - so Zero _was_ shy, no matter how well he hid it! Yuuki's smile deepened as she helped to pull down his rather damp boxers, leaving them halfway to his knees. Zero was fully aroused now and Yuuki's breath caught in her throat as she wondered if she would ever be able to take the whole of him within her when that time finally came. Then she looked up at Zero, her eyes loving as she trailed her small hands over his chest, her fingertips dancing lightly over his chest, teasing his nipples before slowly going lower down to where his arousal waited eagerly for her attentions, the tip already dewing in anticipation.

And when Yuuki finally reached that part of him, Zero threw his head back, moaning as she clasped him in her hands firmly, both thumbs teasing his sensitive head and making him gasp for breath. Yuuki was now determined to undo Zero as thoroughly as he had done her earlier and she recalled how he had held himself in their past sessions. Apparently, the underside was _very_ sensitive as well, and she applied firm pressure there as she moved her hand up and down his rigid length, fisting it as tightly as she dared.

Soon, Zero's whispered words of encouragement and praise started to get more and more incoherent and breathless, and Yuuki took delight in taking it to mean she had grown more skillful in this matter. She moistened her fingers with the clear drops leaking from his wet tip, making the friction between them even more erotic. Zero's breath was coming faster between his parted lips, his fangs lengthening again as his muscles tightened. Blood had rushed to pool in his groin, engorging his arousal even further.

"Yuuki!" he gasped. He was panting hard now and knew that he was spiralling helplessly out of control. Yuuki was now relentless and determined. Zero tilted his head back, relinquishing all control to her, letting her determine the outcome and allowing her to do whatever it was she wanted. He was hers, he always had been.

Zero was close, so close now, raw tension building up unbearably in his limbs, heart thudding faster than ever. "Yuuki!" he cried out again as he finally climaxed, undone by her loving hands, erupting his warm passion over her fingers and over himself. Yuuki looked up to see Zero's eyes tightly closed, head thrown back, teeth clenched, and heaving chest glistening with perspiration. She slowed down her motions until at length she stopped, slightly out of breath herself.

They were both kind of in a mess right now but Yuuki ignored that as she climbed up to sit on Zero's bare thighs again. She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her cheek on his damp chest, loving the sound of his heartbeat thundering in her ear and feeling the small trembles that still shook his body. Zero dipped his head to rest his chin on the top of her head, breathing in her scent as he closed his arms around her. "You did it, Yuuki," he murmured. For some reason, Zero was feeling slightly embarrassed now, perhaps because it was the first time he hadn't needed to help her...

Yuuki nodded against his chest. "Yes, I did," she agreed placidly, her voice filled with very feminine satisfaction. Then she raised her head to smile at him. "Did you like that?" she murmured, entranced by the faint blush on his face. The impish twinkle in her eyes reminded Zero that he had also asked these exact same words to her, minutes after pleasuring her in the bathroom during the holidays a few months ago.

"You know," he replied softly, letting his eyes tell her just how much he had enjoyed it.

Yuuki's grin widened. "I do know," she shot back, her tone informing him just how obvious his pleasure had been. To his chagrin, Zero felt his cheeks heat up a little more and he shooed her off his lap in an attempt to hide it. "All right, we both need a shower. You first," he told her in a no nonsense tone. "Go on, I'll wait."

Zero gave Yuuki's exposed backside a little whack and she wrinkled her nose at him. But she walked obediently to the bathroom as Zero reached for the tissue box on the table. "Then I think we both really need that nap now," he muttered to himself. Yuuki paused at the door of the bathroom, half tempted to ask him to join her. But Zero was busy cleaning himself up now, his back towards her as if not wanting to tempt himself further... or as if he was still embarrassed.

"Hey, Zero?" she called softly.

The silver head turned, but only halfway and Yuuki saw Zero's side profile. "Yeah?"

"I love you," she said softly and waited.

Zero pulled his boxers up then turned to face her directly. A loving smile tilted the corners of his lips and chased away his awkward shyness. "And you know I love you," Zero replied, his eyes adoring her. "Now go take that shower," he couldn't resist adding in a stern tone.

Yuuki merely smiled and nodded before she stepped into the bathroom. She didn't have anything to fear from Zero and after what had happened just now, Yuuki knew she would always be safe with him, no matter where they were and no matter what they did.

-- Chapter End --


	57. Chap 29: Promises and Vows Part 1

**Author Notes:** I'm sorry this update has taken so long! _–hides from irate ZeroxYuuki fans-_ Some time has passed for Zero and Yuuki since my last chapter, since we are nearing the end of Hold Me. But don't worry – 3 more updates to go! Hope you enjoy this update and I will post the continuation sometime next week, OK?

-- Chapter Start --

_Three __years later._

A tall, silver haired boy – almost a man – stood waiting at the bus station, leaning against the wall, with his legs crossed at the ankle. After a while, he looked at his wristwatch. It was apparent the person he was waiting for was late in arriving but even then, the knowledge didn't make him frown at all. His unusual, amethyst eyes gleamed with anticipation as he lifted a hand to brush his hair out of his eyes. Zero hadn't seen Yuuki for at least three months now and he missed her dearly.

The two former School Guardians had finished their last year at Cross Academy two and a half years ago. Immediately after that, Zero had resumed his hunter training and graduated as a full fledged hunter after a record one and a half years. For the past one year, the young and talented hunter had started participating in hunts for Level Es under the strict guidance and parental eye of his sensei Touga Yagari.

The hardened master hunter was every bit as proud of Zero as he had once been and sometimes… he could even forget, for a few minutes at least, the fact that his protégé was a vampire himself. Although it was something he would never admit out loud, Yagari knew that the constant stability Zero showed, and the increasing control he had over his bloodlust was attributed to Kaname Kuran's assistance and no one else's.

Chairman Cross had informed Yagari of the arrangement that Zero had with the pureblood prince a few weeks after that fateful start of the school holidays three years ago. The knowledge had at first filled the one eyed hunter with a deep foreboding, stemming from his deeply rooted distrust of vampires in general. Even Cross' wholehearted endorsement and happiness over the arrangement couldn't stop Yagari from being very cynical and suspicious over the whole thing – after all, why would Kaname bend over backwards like this for a Level D vampire who was also planning to resume his hunter training?

After numerous arguments, Cross had approached Kaname to get his permission to let Yagari know of the pureblood's true relationship with Yuuki Cross and the pieces had finally fallen into place for the master hunter.

Although Yagari hadn't experienced brotherly love in his youth, he had always known that the pureblood vampire loved Cross' adopted daughter very deeply and now he knew why. Well, put in that light, of course it was now understandable why Kaname had decided to give his pure blood to Zero for an indefinite amount of time.

Freed of his past fears and uncertainty about his future and his love, Zero threw himself wholeheartedly into his hunter training and proved to be the best student in his class, even garnering praise from the other teachers, noted hunters themselves.

Surprisingly enough, Yuuki too, wasn't lacking in her studies, quite unlike her secondary schooling in Cross Academy. She was now completing a three year degree course in teaching and administration, in preparation for taking over Chairman Cross to run the school when he retired. It wouldn't happen immediately, of course. Yuuki was far from being prepared to run an entire school by herself, what more one that had Day and Night Classes… but at least she was on the right track.

With their different studies and schedules, it wasn't surprising that Zero and Yuuki were not together as much as they were in the past. They had gotten used to seeing each other everyday while studying and staying at Cross Academy but in the past two and a half years, they could only meet during rare weekends or festive holidays. By unspoken agreement, they would spend most of these times back at Cross Academy with their adopted father. It was obvious the Headmaster missed his adopted children dearly and always welcomed their visits with open arms and many inspired dishes. Zero would inevitably take over from him after the first day or so, with Yuuki helping him but they all enjoyed each other's company.

Sometimes, if his very busy schedule permitted, Kaname would drop by as well, to see the older man he was very fond of, to see the younger sister he adored… and to ensure that he kept his promise to Zero and Yuuki. Their blood taking sessions would took place in either Zero or Yuuki's rooms, since she insisted on being present. Seeing her brother and her boyfriend close together like this never failed to move and delight her and Yuuki usually ended the scene with an impulsive hug for both of them.

The blood taking sessions were always a little embarrassing for Kaname and Zero and both males were grateful for Yuuki's presence, as it neutralised the slightly awkward minutes when their bodies were pressed close together and Zero's face was intimately buried in Kaname's neck...

"Zero!"

Zero was startled from his thoughts and looked up, a happy grin spreading over his face as he saw Yuuki was bounding over to him, her shoulder bag swinging wildly at her side. The auburn haired girl had grown a few inches over the past two years and the top of her head was almost on par with Zero's shoulder now... if she weren't barefoot. There was a womanly look to Yuuki's once girlish face and she walked with a grace she never displayed before but her exuberance and impulsive nature that Zero loved was still there, and he could usually find a couple of things to tease her with.

"Dearest!" Zero caught Yuuki up in a hug as soon as she was within arms' reach, swinging her around and making her squeal. "I've missed you so much."

"I have too, Zero," Yuuki sighed happily. For a few minutes, there was no more need for words as they traded loving kisses with each other.

"Isn't this great?" Yuuki said happily as they finally walked out of the bus station hand in hand with Zero who was carrying her shoulder bag. "A three day weekend!"

Zero nodded, smiling. "And during the school holidays, and on your birthday, too," he commented. "Father is already planning to cook up a storm. We were here buying stuff this morning." Zero had arrived a day earlier than Yuuki and he had driven Cross to town to 'stock up on supplies' as it were.

"Yup! It's so great that we'll be able to celebrate with Father, Kaname-nii-sama, Yori and Aido! And little Tomi, too!" added Yuuki, her wide brown eyes sparkling. She was delighted that her best friend was coming down to visit her. Even better, the school would be deserted for the holidays so Aido, Yori and their son would have no trouble rooming with the others back in his old room in the Moon Dorms. Kain, of course, was more than happy to share Ruka's room.

"I heard that Kain, Ruka and Takuma will be coming down as well," Zero added, shaking his head. "Quite a circus we're going to have," he murmured but without his usual sarcasm. He wouldn't mind too much as long as he could have Yuuki's company all to himself for as many hours as he could manage...

As Zero drove them back to the school, neither he nor Yuuki had any idea that Kaname and Chairman Cross were planning something quite different for them this weekend, and that there was another reason why the others were here as well.

- o –

A couple of hours later, Yuuki had unpacked her things in her old room and they had had dinner with Chairman Cross. The older man was as cheerful as ever but seemed a little distracted. Zero had caught him staring at them a few times, looking strangely misty eyed – something that made Zero decide he wasn't interested in wanting to know more about.

Kaname was due to arrive with the others in half an hour's time and Yuuki could not wait to meet her brother again. Zero too, was looking forward to the pureblood's arrival only it was for a slightly different reason – it was time for his next feeding and they usually stuck to the pre-arranged schedule even before Zero's bloodlust made itself known.

Kaname had indeed kept his promise to stabilise the young hunter's condition. With regular intakes of that rich and powerful blood, Zero's bloodlust had decreased tremendously, even to the point of being able to control his initial reaction at the sight of a small cut, something he was unable to do in the early days.

They had now progressed to the stage of Zero only needing to take Kaname's blood once every three months, if he didn't sustain any serious injury between the sessions.

- o -

When the party finally arrived, there were a few minutes spent in smiles and laughter as handshakes, hugs and kisses were exchanged. The last two were mostly between Yuuki and Yori.

Aido and Yori's precocious son, Tomi, was fawned upon by everyone but he soon tired of the exuberant hugs and kisses and eventually retreated back to Yori's lap, staring at everyone with huge blue eyes.

After an hour of casual talk, it was time to disperse, at least for now. The nobles as well as Yori and her son went off to the Moon Dorms to unpack and get some rest, leaving Zero and Yuuki behind with Chairman Cross and Kaname. The four of them waved off the little group then went back indoors.

Zero had his arm around a rather sleepy Yuuki's shoulders but his keen eyes didn't miss the sudden, meaningful glances between his adopted father and the pureblood. Then the Chairman turned to them. "Zero, Yuuki... there is something Kaname-kun and I would like to inform you two. Let's go into my study, shall we?"

Both Zero and Yuuki looked curiously at Cross, then at Kaname but the pureblood only smiled before gesturing for them to follow the Headmaster. Silently, the two lovebirds complied.

In less than a minute's time, all four of them were seated in the Chairman's study. Cross in his usual chair, Kaname perched on the edge of the desk as he liked to, and Zero and Yuuki in the two chairs facing the desk.

Yuuki looked from Cross to her older brother, a delicate frown etching itself between her eyebrows. "Is there something you wanted to discuss with us?" she asked. "Do you need my help in the running of Cross Academy now?" She hadn't really completed her studies yet but if they needed her...

Chairman Cross smiled and shook his head. "No, my dear. Studies come first," he said, the familiar words bringing a fond smile to Yuuki's face. Kaname nodded then glanced at him, as if asking a question silently. The older man just nodded back, as if providing silent encouragement. Kaname nodded as well then turned back to Zero and Yuuki but he kept his gaze on his younger sister as he spoke.

"You're going to be nineteen tomorrow, Yuuki," he started. The auburn haired girl just nodded. "Of course we'll celebrate your birthday on a grand scale... but that's not the only reason why your friends are here."

Yuuki's eyebrows shot up then she glanced at Zero uncertainly. The young hunter was looking intently at Cross but he didn't say anything. Then his silent gaze returned to Kaname. The pureblood looked at him gravely for a moment, then he regarded his sister with a silent and almost wistful pride glowing in his eyes.

_Yes... it was time_

"You are of age now, Yuuki," Kaname told her gently.

Yuuki merely blinked at him. "For what?" she asked, wondering vaguely if her brother he was going to give her a car once she had passed her driving test.

"For the 'Binding Promise' ceremony," Kaname replied, his eyes serious and intense. Even though he kept his eyes on his younger sister, the pureblood could sense Zero's suddenly narrowed gaze upon him.

But it was Yuuki who spoke first. "A binding ceremony?" she repeated, her brown eyes wide with surprise.

Kaname smiled and nodded, still carefully keeping his eyes on her. "Yes. It's called 'Binding Promise' and it's actually an ancient exchange of vows before witnesses."

Kaname smiled again as Yuuki's mouth fell open. The pureblood finally turned to look at the tall, silver haired boy - no, man - by her side. Zero was still watching him silently, his amethyst eyes now a little less fierce and a little more curious. "What does this mean _exactly_, Kaname?" he asked quietly, his long fingers tightening on Yuuki's.

_Because this __sort of sounds like another type of ceremony..._

Kaname glanced at a rather moist eyed Chairman, then turned to look at the couple once again. "The normal civil ceremony will bind you two as a couple legally - in the eyes of the law. That is something you two will one day have. But we – " Kaname half glanced at Cross again – "we both think you are already ready to become a couple in the fullest sense of the word. So we want to hold the Binding Promise ceremony. It will bind you as a couple in front of the people you love and want to share in your joy."

This time, Zero's mouth fell open as well and Kaname smiled again as Chairman Cross gave a watery sort of chuckle.

"Kaname-nii-sama?" breathed Yuuki, her slender fingers tightening around Zero's now. "Are you saying that we can – we can actually.."

Zero cleared his throat and Yuuki stopped immediately, her cheeks rosy.

"Yes," Kaname answered her simply. Then, those knowing brown eyes lifted to Zero's.

_You two have waited long enough. You have proved that you are fully deserving of Yuuki's love in any way she chooses to show it__ now._

Zero's breath caught in his throat at the message in Kaname's eyes – he almost couldn't believe it... It has seemed both like a lifetime as well as only yesterday when he and Kaname were standing in this very room as he made that vow to this man who was his beloved's only living relation. Then Zero swallowed past the lump in his throat. "Thank you," he murmured huskily, his cheek warming.

It was Yuuki's soft laughter that broke the slightly awkward tension in the room a moment later and the four of them relaxed a little. "Nii-sama, Father, so that's why you've invited everyone here, it's not only for my birthday?" she exclaimed happily.

"Killing two birds with one stone," replied Chairman Cross for both of them, grinning broadly. "They know about the ceremony as well... but we told them not to mention it earlier."

Yuuki gave another squeal then she jumped up from her chair and ran around the desk to throw herself into Kaname's arms. Next, she hugged the Chairman. Zero refrained from standing up – he wasn't sure he wanted to hug anyone but Yuuki.

Then the auburn haired girl returned to his side and Zero stood up, reaching out for her. Yuuki's large, brown eyes were sparkling with happy tears now and her smile was infectious – Zero couldn't help the answering one that tugged at his lips. Right in front of the Chairman and Kaname, the young hunter pulled Yuuki into his arms and kissed her soundly.

-- To Be Continued --


	58. Chap 29: Promises and Vows Part 2

**Author Notes: **Part 2 of 3. Still no lemon yet but it's coming, it's coming! _-smiles-_ Enjoy!

-- Continued --

Long, bright rays of sunlight filtered in through the partially drawn curtains of the room and after a few languid minutes, reached the sleeping girl curled up in the bed. As the sun teased her closed eyelids, Yuuki groaned and turned onto her side, snuggling deeper under her blanket. _I guess I forgot to draw the curtains again last night_...

After a moment, her eyes blinked open and she sat bolt upright, a small frown etching itself between her delicate eyebrows. _Oh dear, what time was it?_ Yuuki had meant to get up early to confront Zero about something but it looked like it was already mid morning. She sighed and got out of bed, her mind replaying the unexpected events of last night, after her adopted father and older brother's surprising announcement. She and Zero were ecstatic to know that they could finally be together and with their father and Kaname's full blessings as well. They were also rather embarrassed about it – Zero in particular – but very pleased all the same.

However, when the two of them walked back to their respective rooms, Yuuki saw that her boyfriend's handsome face no longer bore the happy look it had worn a few minutes ago. He looked deep in thought and was even frowning. When she asked him about it, Zero only shrugged it off before giving her a perfunctory peck on the lips outside her room door – a vastly different kiss from the passionate one he had planted on her in their father's study earlier – before telling her to get some sleep. Fat lot of good _that _did; Yuuki spent half the night tossing and turning, wondering what on earth could have happened to make Zero frown like that when he had looked so happy just minutes earlier.

Well, no matter. She would go look for him now and demand an answer. Yuuki nodded to herself and hastened to get dressed before leaving her room. The living room was empty, as was the kitchen but she snagged a rosy cheeked apple to munch on as her breakfast. Walking outside, Yuuki looked around the familiar but now deserted school grounds, thinking to herself. Perhaps Zero had gone to his favourite spot?

But there wasn't anyone under the big tree on the hill that overlooked the lake. The auburn haired girl pursed her lips before biting into her apple again, by no means undeterred. Her next guess was that perhaps Zero had gone to find his old friend, White Lily, or maybe even gone for a ride on her. It turned out that Yuuki was half right after all. She finally found her missing boyfriend at the stables - not inside nor astride his bad tempered horse but outside at the far end, the side that overlooked a corner of the big lake of Cross Academy.

Yuuki went into the stables, tiptoed her way past the stalls and paused by the far door as a thought occured to her. Zero was sitting outside where she herself had once sat, on the morning after that school dance so long ago. She had been confused about their first kiss after the dance... so perhaps Zero was also confused or worried about something as well?

As Yuuki paused there with a touch of her old indecisiveness, Zero turned his head and smiled up at her, stretching out his hand in welcome. Yuuki smiled back and let him pull her down to sit beside him, sighing happily as he released her wrist and placed his arm around her shoulders instead.

"Good morning, Zero," Yuuki leaned into him and arched her neck to press an apple-scented kiss on his lips. "Good morning, dearest," Zero murmured back, returning the kiss with interest. It was a minute or so before he released her tingling lips and by then, she had almost forgotten what she had wanted to ask him about.

Almost...

"Are you OK?" she asked quietly. Zero's arm was still loosely around her shoulders as they both leaned back against the wooden stable wall. "Mmm hmm," was his only reply.

"You're worried about something, aren't you?" Yuuki persisted and raised her eyebrows when Zero turned to look at her, his mouth opening as if to protest. "Otherwise you'd have waited for me to get up," she added and Zero abruptly closed his mouth. After a moment, he nodded cautiously. "Yeah. Sorry."

Yuuki shook her head but held his gaze. "Would it have anything to do with tonight's Binding Promise ceremony?" she asked next and wasn't really surprised to see the amethyst eyes widen slightly. "Uhm... yeah," Zero muttered. Yuuki could be really perceptive when she wanted to be, he thought with an inward, wry smile.

"Well, why is it troubling you?" Yuuki asked softly, her hand going out to catch his. With a sigh, Zero removed his arm from her shoulders and turned sideways to face her. Yuuki did the same so that they were now sitting cross legged on the grass and facing each other, their knees touching lightly.

Zero gave a shrug as he caught her other hand, his gaze falling before Yuuki's direct, curious one. He wasn't sure he could explain it properly and it actually seemed sort of... well, _petty_, for him to feel anything other than pure happiness and anticipation. After all, he and Yuuki now had both their father and Kaname's blessings to be lovers. They weren't easy to earn nor should they be taken lightly – Zero should know.

Yes, he _was_ happy, he knew he was. The Chairman may not be Yuuki's biological father but he had cared for her ever since she was five years old. He loved her dearly and even thought of her as his own. Kaname... well, he was a pureblood! And a very, very protective elder brother to boot - earning his trust and getting his blessing to love Yuuki wasn't something that could remotely be called 'easy'. The fact that both Cross and Kaname had unanimously agreed on the Binding Promise ceremony tonight meant a lot to Zero. A lot. But... something still continued to niggle at him.

"Tell me, Zero!" Yuuki insisted. As Zero kept silent, she bit her lip. "Don't you want the ceremony?" she asked in a small voice, now sounding faintly hurt. It had never occurred to her that Zero might actually not want something that would bring them even closer together but from the way he was acting now...

Zero heard the tone in Yuuki's voice and shook his head, looking up into her wide eyes. "You know I love you," he murmured. "There is no one else for me but you, now or forever, dearest."

A tremulous smile formed on Yuuki's lips – she would never tire of hearing that endearment from Zero's lips and she nodded wordlessly, knowing there was more.

Zero took a deep breath. "And of course, I can't wait to make love to you completely," he added softly, the absolute honesty and longing in his voice and gaze making Yuuki's breath pause in wonder. Words failed her now and she could nod mutely.

"But I want to keep it for after we're married... not before," Zero finally confessed. "And although the Binding Promise ceremony has an exchange of vows and sounds very much like a wedding... well, it's not exactly the same."

_I made a promise to myself._

_I made a promise to __Kaname._

Yuuki was silent, her wide eyes drinking in the hesitation in those amethyst eyes. Zero sighed softly, his gaze now unfocusing slightly. "When I first heard about the ceremony, I was over the moon," he murmured. "But after that, I realised that it sounded like a way to..." Zero hesitated, not knowing if he was explaining this correctly and not wanting to hurt Yuuki's feelings in any way. "... to bypass what I had promised."

He glanced a little hesitantly at Yuuki, who was still silent. "It's not that I don't understand and appreciate what Father and Kaname are doing – I do – and it shows the trust they have in us. I guess what I'm trying to say is – is -"

Zero broke off and exhaled, feeling a little frustrated, his gaze sliding away again. This was sounding more and more silly the more he tried to explain it but after having made those promises with a sincere heart, he intended to see them through – he had already decided that he wanted to wait and he knew he could do it. Having the ceremony thrown at them like this – no matter how well intentioned – only made him feel like he was being let off the hook, so to speak. Worse still, in Zero's mind, it rendered the heartfelt promise he had made Kaname, in Cross' study three years ago, null and void.

_Meaningless._

Small, loving hands cupped Zero's face and turned it back to face Yuuki. Her expression was solemn but her eyes were warm and understanding. "What you're trying to say is that you still want us to wait until after our wedding... our real wedding," she finished for him softly. Zero closed his eyes for a moment and inhaled deeply. Then he opened them again and focused on the most beautiful and loving face he had ever seen in his life.

"Exactly..." he breathed, his hands going up to cover hers, long fingers curling lightly over slender, feminine ones. _Yuuki, you are truly the perfect woman for me. How did I ever get this lucky?_

A loving smile trembled on Yuuki's lips. "Then that's what we'll do," she promised softly.

"Even though I know it sounds kinda silly," Zero admitted with a deprecating smile. Yuuki shook her head slowly. "It's not in the least bit silly, Zero," she chided softly. "I think it's wonderful... and I'm sure Father and onii-san will think the same thing I do."

Zero continued looking at Yuuki as if no one else existed in the world for him. "And what's that?" he asked in a whisper, feeling himself tearing up despite his best attempts otherwise.

"That you are the perfect man for me," Yuuki answered in a whisper, her eyes and attention caught by Zero as much as he was captured by her.

Had she heard his inner thoughts? Zero lost the battle with his tears at Yuuki's reply and he leaned forward and kissed her passionately. "Have I told you I love you today?" he asked shakily after a long and very sweet minute. Yuuki tightened her arms around his neck and smiled against his lips. She was deeply touched by the wetness she could feel on her cheeks. "Nope," she murmured. "And to think we're not even married yet...!"

She felt Zero smile at her reply before he kissed her hard in retaliation, swallowing her irrepressible giggles before he obligingly declared his love for her.

- o -

Half an hour later, Zero and Yuuki and found Chairman Cross in his study. The older man was all smiles as his adopted children walked in hand in hand but his mouth fell open in shock as they disclosed their intention.

It wasn't that cancelling the ceremony itself would mean a great deal of work but he never thought in a million years that Zero and Yuuki would actually _refuse_... The older man also realised what his children were indirectly trying to say and he couldn't help gawking at them for a minute more with tear-filled eyes and his mouth slightly open. Finally, he insisted on notifying Kaname immediately even though it was already mid morning. Luckily, the pureblood had not slept yet as he was still busy with work that he had brought with him.

When the Chairman, Zero and Yuuki had walked out to the living room, Kaname was already at the front door. Cross then broke the news to the pureblood who took it with his usual calm, only raising en elegant eyebrow to denote his surprise. "Are you sure about this, Zero? Yuuki?" he asked and received definite nods from both in reply. A slightly awkward silence fell then Kaname asked, a curious note creeping into his voice, "So what do you two plan to do now?"

Zero looked at Yuuki and nodded at her, indicating that she should reply. Yuuki beamed back at him then turned to her older brother. "I'll graduate in six months' time. We could have the actual wedding then!"

_A wedding...? A real wedding?! _Chairman Cross beamed his agreement immediately and a moment later, Kaname smiled and nodded. "That sounds good," he said. Yuuki squealed happily and threw herself into her brother's arms. The pureblood hugged his younger sister and dropped a light kiss on her hair before he straightened up, his dark eyes meeting Zero's over the top of Yuuki's head. Kaname didn't say anything but he didn't need to – the usually remote dark eyes were now warm with approval and respect.

Zero nodded in return but didn't say anything. Some things just didn't need to be said...

- o -

Although the ceremony was cancelled, they went on ahead with the other main event, Yuuki's birthday celebration. It turned out to be a big success - Chairman Cross had booked one of the private rooms at the most expensive restaurant in town, Le Prestige, and the table they had was large enough for their party of eleven, including Touga Yagari and little Tomi Aido.

It was a well known fact that the one eyed master hunter had never seen eye to eye with the pureblood prince but since the former cared very much for Zero, who was practically the son he never had, and since the latter cared just as much for the girl whom Zero would die for, both Yagari and Kaname decided to remain on friendly terms with each other. At least for this one night.

Everyone dressed up for the occasion but Zero had eyes only for Yuuki. He was waiting outside her room that evening and when she stepped out, he actually forgot to breathe for a moment. Yuuki was in a cream coloured dress – a knee length affair with a beaded top, dropped waist and floaty chiffon skirt. The dress had a heart shaped neckline and tiny puffed sleeves. A simple white satin ribbon encircled her slender neck, adorned with a fresh, red rose and Yuuki wore white, strappy heels on her feet to lend her an additional two inches in height.

Zero had known Yuuki for seven years now, starting from that cold winter's night when the Chairman had brought him - bitten by a pureblood, shocked, angry and grieving - to his home. But she had changed as the years passed. The coltish clumsiness had been replaced by grace, the girlish figure by womanly curves even if she still remained slender. But best of all, she was still his generous, kind and loving Yuuki.

Zero's eyes glowed with pure happiness as he reached for her hand and bent his head to kiss her cheek. "You look absolutely gorgeous, dearest," he murmured against the soft skin and felt it warm delicately against his lips. Yuuki's smile was radiant when Zero lifted his head to smile at her. "And you look very handsome, Zero," she returned, her large soft eyes taking in and appreciating every detail of his light gray long sleeved shirt that had small ruffles down the front and dark gray jacket and trousers that perfectly matched his silver hair and stunning amethyst eyes.

A little awkwardly, Zero grinned and shrugged. He bowed his thanks to Yuuki before offering her his arm. She took it with the aplomb of a queen and together, they walked down the familiar corridor to the living room where the Chairman and Yagari were already waiting. The Headmaster was dressed in a brown suit that matched the darker scarf around his neck but it was Yagari's appearance that made Zero and Yuuki stare. The dark haired hunter had actually swapped his usual shirt and jeans for a smart black blazer and tailored slacks.

Zero couldn't help grinning at him. "You look very smart, sensei," he complimented his teacher, his tone sincere. Yagari only grunted in reply. "Your father can be very... ah, persuasive when he wants to be," he admitted dryly, before directing a rueful look at the ex-hunter by his side.

Yuuki glanced sideways at Zero with a smile, her raised eyebrows silently asking how had their father managed to persuade Yagari to don on a suit and Zero merely grinned back. _Our father has his ways_... his look clearly said and Yuuki giggled.

"Well, let's go then," said Yagari with a scowl after a minute or so of enduring Cross' gushing compliments at how stunning and grown up Yuuki looked and how it had seemed like just yesterday when she was only five years old. The dark haired hunter gave Cross a push towards the front door, ignoring the obvious tears brimming in the other man's eyes.

- o -

Kaname had already informed the nobles that the Binding Promise ceremony had been cancelled and no one mentioned a word as they gathered outside the restaurant in town but Yori hugged her best friend tightly when they met.

The dinner was delicious. Kaname had spared no expense and each exquisite course was perfection itself, paired with the appropriate wines. Sometime during the main course, little Tomi managed to get his chubby, dimpled hands on his father's half filled wineglass while Aido was chatting to Zero and ended up sleeping soundly through the rest of the dinner in his stroller, only to wake up when they left the restaurant. Yori took it all in her stride as she brushed off the others' concerns. Her calm remark that not only had her son done it before when Aido wasn't looking, it would also ensure a peaceful dinner for everyone including herself, had everyone chuckling and nodding in agreement.

After dessert, it was time to open Yuuki's birthday presents. They were each beautiful and well thought out but when Yuuki finally opened the one from Zero, she forgot everything else. The silver gift paper fell away to reveal a small jewellery box and when she lifted the lid, she was speechless for a moment.

"Oh, Zero," she breathed as she lifted out the delicate silver chain with trembling fingers. The inch long pendant that swung from it was made from solid silver, crafted into the shape of two letters entwined together - 'Y' and 'Z'. The letter 'Z' was placed behind 'Y' and had both ends of its top horizontal line curving slightly in front, fusing to the respective upper points of the 'Y' letter. A single diamond nestled in the middle of the 'Y' stem.

Yuuki's eyes shone with happy tears as she leaned forward and kissed Zero on the lips. "Thank you, it's absolutely beautiful!" she murmured happily then asked him to put it on for her. The length of the chain was perfect and the pendant hung nicely about two inches below her collarbones. Everyone ooh'd and aah'd over it and Yuuki's hand crept into Zero's, her tear bright eyes radiant.

This had to be her best birthday party ever.

- o -

_Six months later..._

The registry office in town was a building that was usually brightly lit by fluorescent lights. But for this particular couple - a tall, silver haired young man with unusual amethyst eyes and a slender, auburn haired girl - the officer presiding there bowed to their wishes for a couple of changes. The exchange of vows took place at night instead of during the usual office hours, and instead of switching on the lights, the officer consented to have two silver candelabras placed on his cleared desk instead, each holding a half dozen rose-scented candles, and the base covered by beautiful red roses. He supposed it made the ceremony more romantic...

There were only a handful of people to witness Zero and Yuuki's marriage vows – Kaname Kuran, Chairman Cross, Touga Yagari, Takuma Ichijo, Aido Hanabusa, Yori Wakaba and Tomi Aido. It was a small group but in Zero and Yuuki's eyes, the most important persons in their lives were present and they were content.

The room was redolent with the perfume of the fresh roses and air conditioning kept the interior comfortably cooled. Again, Chairman Cross' eyes were suspiciously moist behind his glasses as the door opened and Kaname walked Yuuki down the four metre long carpeted aisle to where Zero stood waiting with Yagari, in front of the candlelit table. Kaname had Yuuki's small hand tucked into the crook of his right elbow and as they stepped up to the table, the pureblood raised his younger sister's hand to his lips, his dark eyes locking onto Zero with a brief flash of fierce protectiveness. Then Kaname smiled and stood aside, his gaze on the graceful figure of his younger sister, standing hand in hand beside Zero at the front of the table. They were both wearing the same outfits as they had worn on Yuuki's birthday dinner half a year ago but Yuuki's hair was done up in a sophisticated French twist now and secured with the elegant diamond clasp that had been Kaname's birthday present to her.

The officer smiled benignly at the attractive young couple standing in front of him. "We are here today to witness the joining of this young man, Zero Kiriyu, and this young woman, Yuuki Cross, in a ceremony that binds them legally as a married couple. Would you two please raise your right hands now and repeat after me..."

In the next couple of minutes, sincere pledges were voiced from the heart and silver eternity rings exchanged. Zero fitted the smaller circle onto Yuuki's slender ring finger with steady hands, pressing a soft kiss onto the back of her hand after he had done so. Yuuki placed the other, larger ring onto Zero's ring finger then they both looked at each other, their eyes glowing with happiness, their smiles radiant with joy as the officer happily pronounced them husband and wife.

They were bound to each other from now until forever. Without a word, Zero bent forward to claim Yuuki's lips in a loving kiss. Immediately, claps and cheers erupted from the small audience behind them and they both turned around. Yuuki was warmly embraced by Kaname, then Cross, then a tearful Yori while Zero had his share of hugs and back slaps as well, the hardest one from his teacher.

But eventually, the small party left the office and went back to Cross Academy. Kaname had offered to book the newlyweds a suite at the town's most expensive hotel but Zero and Yuuki had already decided that they wanted to spend their first night as husband and wife at the school where they had fallen in love.

In Cross' living room, a bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice and long stemmed glasses stood ready on the coffee table. Chairman Cross popped the cork and poured out the golden, bubbly liquid for everyone, Aido deftly holding his glass out of his son's eager reach this time.

Everyone took a glass and waited. Then Cross smiled at Yuuki and raised his glass, all the others following suit. They drank to Zero and Yuuki's happiness and offered their congratulations with serious words and heartfelt wishes. Aido took it upon himself to offer a few more ribald remarks that had Yuuki blushing and Yori frowning at her husband with a warning look at their now curious looking son.

Zero bore it all with his usual stoicism and adamantly refused to look at Cross when the latter started speculating brightly and none too subtly on the subject of grandchildren. The silver haired hunter was grimly amused to see Kaname do the same as he chatted quietly with Takuma.

After an hour or so, the party broke up again. Kaname, the nobles, Yori and little Tomi went back to the Moon Dorms to give the newlyweds privacy while the Chairman accompanied Yagari to the guest quarters that were housed in a separate building to do the same. The one eyed hunter earned Zero's undying gratitude when he unceremoniously pulled Cross along with him just as the latter was starting a speech about what sounded most suspiciously like the birds and the bees.

Finally left alone in the now vacant living room, Zero and Yuuki took the ice bucket, empty bottle of champagne and the used glasses to the kitchen. Yuuki squeezed Zero's hand as they walked out of the kitchen and went past the dining room. "Zero?" she asked softly. The tall, silver haired boy looked at her with a smile and Yuuki smiled back.

"Do you remember the time we came back from that school dance?" she asked softly and Zero nodded. "Of course," he replied. "I remember wishing that I could spend the night with you in your bed after we kissed for the first time," he said. His tone was half serious, half teasing and Yuuki laughed softly. "You never said a word!" she shot back. Then she added softly, "I was confused by that kiss... but I remember wanting to you to sleep with me, too," she confessed with a shy smile.

Zero's smile widened into a grin. "Even then?" he asked and Yuuki nodded. "Even then," she echoed. "But only for sleeping and not... anything else," she added with a giggle. After a moment though, it faded away because it was now time for the 'anything else' part. Yuuki's glance skittered away as her cheeks warmed. Despite knowing Zero for so long, despite the many intimate, passionate and sweet encounters they had shared together, this was still the one thing they hadn't done.

Gentle, familiar fingers tilted Yuuki's chin up and caring eyes noted her slight blush. "Don't be afraid, Yuuki... if you are," Zero murmured softly. "Because it doesn't have to be this night, you know. Whenever you're ready is completely fine with me. I'm perfectly happy just holding you in my arms tonight."

Yuuki's eyes sparkled with tears but she blinked them away and even managed a trembling smile as she punched Zero lightly in the chest. "I'm not afraid, silly!" Then she laughed at how taken aback he looked. With a sudden, enchanting smile that made Zero forget to breathe for a moment, Yuuki added softly, "Only just a little... _shy_."

Zero stared at her before exhaling in relief. He shook his head, a rueful smile growing on his lips. "Shy? Are you sure?" he couldn't help teasing her a little more. "I don't recall you being shy the last time when you yanked my pants right do- ow!"

Zero broke off as Yuuki punched him in the chest again but with a lot more force this time. "Jerk!" she laughed, blushing and huffing at that reminder. But it worked – she no longer felt shy and uncertain and she had no intention of letting Zero just sleep tonight.

Sleep could come later...

"Well, which room shall we use tonight?" Yuuki asked as they neared the end of the corridor – they had stopped walking during that little exchange earlier - and turned the corner. But there was no need for Zero to answer her because a tiny posy of white roses was now hanging from the door handle of Yuuki's room. With a small laugh, the auburn haired girl pulled her hand from Zero's grasp and hurried to the door. She plucked the small card she could see dangling from the roses and read it quickly. Ah, so this was what Yori had meant with that enigmatic 'There's something you need to do first, Yuuki-chan!" whisper when they had hugged in parting earlier...

Yuuki's head snapped up and she quickly held the card away from Zero as he walked up to her. "Why, what is it?" he asked curiously, gesturing to it. Yuuki smiled at him, her eyes now twinkling.

"You can't come in now, Zero!" she exclaimed and he frowned. "Why not?" he wanted to know even as his lips quirked in response to her smile. Yuuki's smile widened. "Well, at least not for the next ten minutes," she said mysteriously.

At Zero's baffled look, she sighed. "Because I have to get ready, that's why!" she disclosed reluctantly. Yori's note was simple – '_Don't let Zero come in first, Yuuki. You need to get changed first! – Yori'_ but it was enough to make Yuuki blush.

Zero blinked. _Oh_. "For our wedding night, you mean?" he teased and Yuuki smiled, blushing prettily. "Yes," was all she said.

Then she smiled again. This time, it was a mysterious, womanly smile that had Zero's whole body tingling in awareness. "Ten minutes, Zero," she said again before disappearing into her room and closing the door firmly. She didn't lock it but they both knew it wasn't necessary.

Zero's smile was rueful as he shook his head. Well, what was ten minutes when he had waited for Yuuki for years? He turned around and went back to his room. Switching on the light, he realised that someone had been in there earlier because on his bed, a brand new set of pyjamas in gray blue silk was carefully laid out. Zero's mouth fell open. Wow, so he wasn't supposed to wear his usual cotton pyjamas then? He wondered if this was his adopted father's doing and scowled. Then he noticed there was a small box on top of the clothes. Snatching it up, Zero let his scowl deepen. He had seen this box in countless drugstores and he knew what it contained even if he had never before purchased one for himself.

There was a small Post-it note stuck to the box and written in flowing script was a short note - '_Just in case you want to postpone the inevitable - Hanabusa'_

Zero shook his head again, pursing his lips as he wondered what would his grandchildren-loving father would say if he saw the note.

- o -

Ten minutes later, Zero stopped outside Yuuki's room door and knocked lightly, feeling unaccountably nervous.

"Come in, Zero..." Yuuki's voice was soft but they both knew he would hear it. Zero opened the door, took a step inside, closed the door and paused. Yuuki was standing by the window, her face turned to look outside.

Zero didn't switch on the light and for a moment, he simply stared, content to simply drink in the sight of her, The curtains were pulled wide apart and the full moon that hung outside in the velvety darkness peeped inside, lighting up most of the room with its milky light and bathing Yuuki's slender body with its radiance. She was clad in a white, knee length nightdress that didn't really provide much cover due to its semi transparent chiffon material. The lace trimmed neckline was scooped low enough to display a tantalising shadow beneath the silver chain and pendant Yuuki wore and her auburn hair fell in loose waves around her almost bare shoulders.

Zero's body reacted immediately even as he wondered where had Yuuki gotten such a beautiful thing to wear. Perhaps it was from Yori? And it made him recall with painful clarity that this was indeed their wedding night. The nightdress made Yuuki look quite the innocent virgin he knew she was... but enticingly seductive as well. Swallowing past a dry throat, feeling his heart pounding in his ears, Zero took a step nearer. And she was his... against all odds, against all opposition logical or otherwise, she had chosen him. But he wasn't about to complain. Not now and not ever.

Zero sent up a silent prayer of thankfulness, content to just look at his young wife for a little while longer.

_Perhaps a minute or two longer..._

_Perhaps even a day or two longer..._

But at that moment, Yuuki turned and looked at him and Zero wanted to drown in the look of endless love in those brown eyes. Her smile was tentative at first and he could see the slow blush that rose in her cheeks. But at the look of humble awe almost obscuring the fervent longing in Zero's eyes, the shyness in her own disappeared and she held out her small hand to him. Zero had no recollection of moving, of even breathing, but he was there beside Yuuki almost immediately, holding her right where she belonged – in his arms.

"Finally, dearest," Zero whispered as he brought her small hand up to his lips and dropped a light kiss on the silver ring on her finger.

Another smile trembled on Yuuki's lips and she nodded. "Finally," she echoed.

-- To Be Continued --


	59. Chap 29: Promises and Vows Part 3

**Author Notes: **The promised lemon, at long last :D This is the final part of the penultimate chapter so there's one more chapter to go i.e. Chapter 30. Warnings for being rather explicit on the lemony-ness in this chapter. Enjoy and I'd love to hear your thoughts on it!

-- Continued –-

For a moment longer, Zero and Yuuki looked into each other's eyes, reading love and desire, readiness, shyness and curiosity. But there was no fear nor anxiousness. They were both ready to consummate their relationship at long last.

Tonight couldn't be further away from that fateful night on Kaname's birthday about fours ago when anger, jealousy and bloodlust had almost shattered the trust between an angst-filled, tortured boy and a confused, innocent girl. That boy was now a quietly confident young man with a bright future, who held a deep and wholehearted love for this young woman in front of him, who held his heart in her small hands. That girl was now a matured young woman who had made the choice she knew was right and wanted nothing more than to love this young man in front of her, who would always cherish her for as long as he lived.

"I love you, Yuuki. Always," Zero whispered and Yuuki nodded. "I love you, too... always." she whispered back. One more second drifted past as they looked at each other... then Zero smiled. A deep, deep smile that brought out the playful glint in his eyes. "Well, aren't you going to ask me something?" he whispered meaningfully.

A slight frown appeared on Yuuki's face but Zero made no attempt to enlighten her and merely waited.

"Ask you what, Zero?"

Zero shrugged casually. "Oh, something you always ask of me," he replied lightly.

A moment later, comprehension dawned in the wide brown eyes and she laughed softly. "I thought that was something I _didn't_ need to ask, especially tonight?" she returned, her small chin lifted almost as if in a challenge. Zero thought about that for a moment then he nodded. "Yeah, you shouldn't need to," he conceded before sweeping her up high in his arms in a sudden, sure movement. Yuuki squealed softly then threw her arms around his neck – not because she was afraid he would let her fall but because she wanted to.

Zero didn't walk immediately to her bed but just stood there, lost in her eyes and seemingly content to have her in his arms. Yuuki smiled again, her slender fingers playing with the soft, silver hair at the back of his neck that brushed his shirt collar. No, he didn't need a haircut – the length was perfect.

_Zero_ was perfect.

"You'll carry me like this every night from now on, won't you?" she asked softly and Zero nodded at once. "Every night, Yuuki," he promised solemnly, the sheer joy of being able to make such a promise to her filling his heart.

Yuuki arched a delicate eyebrow as if unconvinced. "Even when I'm pregnant and weigh as much as a cow?" she asked teasingly. Zero nodded again. "Even then," he promised then paused – her words reminded him of the small box Aido had put on his bed. Before Zero could say anything, Yuuki spoke again. "Do you remember what you asked me once? The time when we went to collect that envelope for Father and had to stay in a hotel for the night because we missed the train?" she asked.

"Yes." That envelope had contained the details of Yuuki's actual past but Zero knew she wasn't asking about that, but about their conversation that night. "Will you?" he asked again and this time, Yuuki's answer was immediate and devoid of any hesitation whatsoever. "I love how you hold me and I will say that to you every day – or night – from now on," she declared.

Zero's face split into a grin, his heart swelling again with joy. "Fine with me," he replied before walking over to the bed with his most precious burden in his arms. He sat down on the sheets with Yuuki cradled in his lap. "Is this Yori's doing?" Zero asked, nodding his head at the fresh smelling, white cotton sheets and matching lace trimmed pillowcases and covers. They were embroidered with tiny pink and blue flowers that he could make out easily in the moonlight and Yuuki nodded happily. "Yup," she said, reaching down to stroke the soft sheets with grateful fingers. Yori had obviously put a lot of thought into making their wedding night as memorable as possible and the young bride appreciated her gifts very much.

Zero then nodded at Yuuki's nightdress. The material looked so delicate, he was almost afraid it might tear in his hands. "And this thing as well?" he asked, his throat getting dry. With Yuuki sitting on his lap, Zero could enjoy a closer and more enticing view of that tantalising cleavage displayed above the lace trimmed neckline, just below the silver 'Z' and 'Y' pendant she wore. And enjoy the sight he did.

Yuuki blushed as she saw that her husband's eyes were riveted to her chest and felt the growing evidence of his desire against the back of her thighs. Soon, she thought. Soon, she wold know what it would feel like to have him claim her... That thought made her nipples tighten in anticipation and they pushed against the chiffon material of her nightdres. Yuuki saw Zero swallow at the sight and held back a smile – she felt beautiful, feminine and seductive. All the same, she tossed her head. "This 'thing'?" she repeated in a mock offended tone, tossing her head for good measure. "It's a lace nightdress, Zero!"

Zero quickly fixed an appropriately contrite look on his face. "And a beautiful and sexy one it is," he admitted in a husky, approving tone. Yuuki grinned smugly at him. "Darned right it is," she said.

Zero remembered what he had wanted to ask her earlier. "Well, that's very generous of Yori..." he began but Yuuki's inquisitive fingers were now fingering his pyjama top. "And when did you buy this?" she asked curiously.

"I found it on my bed earlier. It's from Hanabusa, although I'm pretty sure it's Yori's idea as well," Zero replied as offhandedly as he could. Yuuki grinned. "Well, I think you look great," she told him and Zero grinned back. "Thanks!"

Before he could get sidetracked again, he dipped his hand into one of the pockets on his pyjama shirt. "He also gave me this," he added wryly as he pulled out the small box and let it rest on his palm. Yuuki picked it up curiously and peered at the picture. Then she almost dropped it. "Why, it's – they're... condoms!"

Zero nodded grimly.

"From Hanabusa?" Yuuki felt one of her irrepressible giggles starting up in her throat again but she suppressed it, wondering if Zero was annoyed at the blond noble's gift. "I'm sure he means well," she said tactfully.

Zero smiled ruefully and shook his head. "I'm not upset or anything, Yuuki. Just wondering if you want me to use this tonight or not." Yuuki blinked at his matter of fact tone before she blushed again. "Uh, well... uhm, that is... you choose, Zero!"

Amethyst eyes widened. "Me? Why me?"

Yuuki fidgeted a little on Zero's lap, causing him a moment of serious distraction. "Well, you're the one who has put it on, right?" she demanded instead and Zero had to bite the inside of his lower lip to keep from chuckling at her reply – totally Yuuki. _His_ Yuuki.

"Yes, but... well, you know the risk if I don't wear one, right?"

Yuuki shifted about again, pulling a soft groan from Zero. "Uhm... yes but..."

"Once is all it takes, Yuuki," Zero reminded her and she fell silent, looking down at the box again. Yes, that was true and it had happened to Yori after all.

_But still..._

Yuuki made up her mind and looked up, her wide eyes filled with trust. "I know that," she said softly then paused. "But tonight is our wedding night and I - I just don't want there to be anything between us!" she confessed in a sudden rush, feeling the heat pulsing in her cheeks. Zero's jaw dropped at her words and that made her giggle a little, her shyness melting away. "At least not tonight," Yuuki amended. Zero blinked and closed his mouth. He had wanted that too... only... he wasn't sure if she...

With a gentle fingertip, he stroked one of her flushed cheeks before bending down to kiss her lightly. "But what if you do get pregnant from tonight, dearest?" he asked softly against her lips before lifting his head to regard her with serious eyes. Yuuki smiled. Her menses had cleared just a couple of days ago so she was pretty confident that that wouldn't happen. But even if it did, she knew there was nothing to worry about. Zero would take care of her as he had promised he would and she trusted him fully.

"I don't think I will," she replied softly. "But even if I do, it's fine with me.. we can start our family earlier, then!" she added with an impish smile. But Zero remained serious. "Really? We're still young, you know." _Very young, actually..._

"As long as you don't mind, either," Yuuki held his gaze confidently and Zero finally relaxed and smiled. "Of course not," he assured her and Yuuki's heart swelled with joy. Having Zero's vampire babies...she could think of nothing else she wanted more. "Well, then... what are we waiting for?" she prompted with a sudden, bewitching smile.

Zero bent his head and captured her lips in a breathtakingly sweet kiss, his hands settling on her shoulders, lightly calloused fingertips stroking the satiny skin and making Yuuki sigh with pleasure. She kissed him back eagerly, her tongue playing lightly with his as her hands made their way to his shirt buttons. In less than a minute, his shirt was fully unbuttoned and Yuuki let her fingertips roam over his strong chest, one hand absently pushing the silky shirt off one shoulder – Zero looked incredibly sexy when he was half dressed – while the fingers of her other hand found and teased one of his flat nipples, feeling it pucker under her touch. He shivered and dipped his head to claim her lips again, kissing her thoroughly – whether as punishment or reward, she couldn't tell - before he trailed a line of tender kisses and licks past her jaw and down her neck. That temptingly pale, smooth column was exposed more fully as Yuuki tilted her head back in a sweet gesture of absolute trust.

Zero's fangs started to throb but he ignored the slight ache. Instead, he used his mouth to slowly nudge a fine, lacy strap past one milky pale shoulder, letting it fall halfway down Yuuki's arm and exposing the upper curve of one beautifully shaped breast. She had grown somewhat since the first time Zero saw her unclothed and he was well acquainted with her curves by now but he still stared at her cleavage as if it was the first time he was setting eyes on it. Yuuki's nipples peaked even more at her husband's ardent gaze and she pulled his head down to her. Zero obligingly pressed a kiss onto one hardened bud through the thin chiffon and she gasped, arching her back and pushing her aching nipple into his mouth. At that sweet response, Zero groaned in delight before using his chin to push the flimsy chiffon further down. Finally, one beautiful swell of creamy pale flesh was fully exposed to him and Zero adored it with his lips – dropping kisses all around the silky skin in slow circles, getting closer and closer to the pink bud that crowned it.

Yuuki moaned and arched her back again. "Please, Zero!" she cried huskily, her fingers knotting in his hair as she tried to guide his mouth to her nipple. He was such a darned tease sometimes...

Zero wanted to smile at her impatience but Yuuki's shifting hips were also playing havoc with his own body and he gave up the attempt to tease her further. Closing his mouth over her nipple, he sucked it deep into his mouth, drawing a choked cry of relief from Yuuki as she shivered hard. When Zero finally released her breast, her nipple was moist from his tongue and swollen from his attentions. He licked it soothingly and she whimpered softly, nerveless fingers falling from his hair. Smiling, Zero wrapped his arms around her, guiding her backwards to lie on the bed. He bent over her and braced both elbows on either side of her body. Using his mouth again, Zero pushed the other lacy strap down. He was already aching and hard with desire but he ignored his wants for now – Yuuki came first, she always did...

Inch by inch, Zero pulled the delicate chiffon and lace concoction lower and lower. Yuuki hardly even noticed as he adored her ceaselessly, whispering words of praise to her as he touched and kissed every inch of satiny skin that he could reach, pleased that Yuuki wore no perfume since her natural, sweet scent was infinitely preferable to anything that came out of a bottle. When Zero pressed butterfly kisses onto her trembling stomach, he realised something he hadn't noticed earlier - she wasn't wearing any underwear. "Yuuki?" he asked, his voice deep and husky from desire. She blinked her eyes open then gasped softly as a warm, male hand covered the junction at the top of her thighs. "Ye-yes?" she managed, her body glowing and trembling with want.

"Why aren't you wearing any panties?" Zero asked. Yuuki thought the puzzled frown on his face was utterly adorable. The tissue lined box that her lace nightdress came in didn't have any underwear and she had decided impulsively to go without...

"Uhm, to save time?" she responded now with an enchanting smile and Zero groaned. With a sudden movement, he removed his hand and buried his face between her thighs instead, making Yuuki utter a scandalised gasp at his action.

"Zero!"

It wasn't the first time he had done that but it never failed to shock and embarrass her. Zero ignored her as he pressed his lips to the chiffon while slowly, determinedly pushing the hem of the nightdress higher with his fingers. Tantalisingly slow movements guided the material past her knees, up her pale thighs... until at length, the soft material was bunched at her waist. Yuuki was completely bared to his adoring, admiring gaze. Zero then lifted his head to smile crookedly at her and Yuuki's breathing hitched, her cheeks flooding with colour. Those beautiful amethyst eyes were promising her nothing but sinful, beautiful pleasure and Yuuki swallowed hard before she gave a tentative nod. It still embarrassed her that Zero would want to do this... but she loved it.

Gentle hands were now pushing her legs up, causing her knees to bend and her thighs to part. Long, lean fingers then glided lightly all over her thighs, stroking them, loving them. A pair of lips followed the trail of satiny skin, moving from the inside of one knee, up one trembling thigh and pausing just before they reached the top. Yuuki closed her eyes, all her senses focused on the man crouching in front of her, adoring her with his hands, fingers and lips. She was exposed to him but there was no fear, only a love and a need to give herself completely to him. Then Zero dipped his head and she moaned softly. He was getting very good at this and she... she loved it.

"Ah... Zero!" Yuuki moaned as his lips slid over the soft, dusky pink petals of her intimate place that only he had ever touched before. She was already moist, very much so and Zero smiled in satisfaction. It wouldn't take him long to completely undo her but they had the whole of tonight - what was the rush?

Slowly, caressingly, his fingertips slid again over Yuuki's pale, quivering thighs, applying the gentlest of pressure to part them further. He closed his eyes and breathed in the heady, sweet scent of her arousal as if it was the most fragrant perfume in the world. To him, it was... and it made his desire soar even higher. Reverently, Zero touched the tip of his tongue to the swollen pink bud at the top and Yuuki jerked her hips up with a hoarse, pleasured cry. He smiled – she never failed to do that whenever he touched her there with his tongue. It had been half a year ago that they had both grown confident and comfortable enough with each other to advance to this stage. In fact, it was right after they had decided to wait for their actual wedding... that Yuuki first allowed Zero to pleasure her with his mouth instead of just his fingers, after some persuasion on his part and as many blushes and mortified protests from her.

Now, Zero merely lifted his head and waited. After a couple of moments, Yuuki's eyes fluttered open to regard him with large eyes hazy with desire. "Do you want more, dearest?" he asked her softly and she nodded almost eagerly, previous shyness forgotten. "Yes, Zero, please..."

He nodded then fitted his face between her thighs again, flicking his tongue very, very gently against that tender bud and drinking up the soft little panting cries that fell from Yuuki's lips as she grabbed handfuls of the sheets on either side of her. Zero splayed his fingers on her inner thighs, stroking the silky skin persuasively, exerting a little more pressure. He knew that she was still uncertain about this even though she loved it and he usually had to coax her to open up a little. With a soft moan, Yuuki relaxed and let her quivering thighs fall outward to rest on the bed. Zero uttered a triumphant growl that made her shiver a little before he fitted his mouth even more snugly against her. She was fully open to him now and he took advantage of that, gently sucking and licking her, loving how her scent and how she tasted on his tongue - a deeper, muskier version of her usual flowery sweetness.

Yuuki's breath exhaled in a series of increasingly faster pants from her lips and she finally released the sheets to knot trembling fingers in Zero's silver hair as his skillful lips and tongue continued to adore her thoroughly. Her slender hips were jerking fitfully, her breath becoming more and more erratic as he pleasured her determinedly. Tension was coiling deep inside her, tightening relentlessly in her lower abdomen, waiting to be released... her intimate parts felt full... aching... swollen...

"Zero, wait!" she panted as she pulled at the soft hair in her hands. "I thought - we can... uhm, make – make love tonight?" Slowly, he raised his head and her aching flesh mourned the loss of his touch. Yuuki struggled up onto her elbows, her breath catching as her eyes locked onto Zero's mouth. His lips were glistening and the knowledge of what made them so turned her cheeks fiery red. Even as she watched, Zero's tongue flicked out and he licked his lips clean with relish, making her blush even more.

"Oh, Zero, don't do that!" Yuuki breathed. She had meant it to be a scolding but it didn't sound in the least bit convincing, not even to her. Zero thought as much because he merely smiled. "Don't do what, dearest?" he asked innocently. She endeavoured to frown at him even though her body was still trembling, her intimate place aching for fulfillment. "That!" she repeated succinctly. Zero just gave her a slow smile. "You taste very good, Yuuki, haven't I always told you that?" he replied. "And I won't stop. We will do that soon, I promise." He didn't give her any time to reply before he dipped his head again.

Yuuki arched her head back and cried out sharply, her fingers clenching onto the sheets again as he pleasured her relentlessly. He alternated long, slow strokes of his tongue with sucking her gently into his mouth and Yuuki's breath panted out in soft, shivery cries. Slowly, Zero glided one finger into her tight, moist depths, carefully stroking and pleasuring her, gaining immense satisfaction from her eager, sweet responses. He added a second finger after a while, stretching her in the same, gentle way. "Zero... Zero..." Yuuki moaned, her head moving from side to side on the pillow. She was engulfed in sheer, sheer bliss... Strands of auburn hair were clinging damply to her forehead and cheeks. Her chest was heaving, her body damp with the glow of passion. "Ah... ah... Zero!"

Yuuki froze, her slender body tight, muscles quivering and tense for a moment that seemed like a small eternity in itself as she tottered on the edge of an incredible release. In that unbearable interval, Zero sucked her hard into his mouth, rasping his tongue against that small, fiercely throbbing piece of flesh as he thrust his fingers deep inside her. Yuuki cried out again, sobbing out the intensity of her release as she became beautifully undone. Zero didn't cease his movements, feasting his eyes on her as he drew out her pleasure for as long as he could, until her spasms subsided completely. Yuuki was completely and irrevocably lost. It was a few minutes before she drifted back to earth again and by then, Zero had shrugged off his shirt before lying down beside her, holding her close to him as he dropped soft kisses on her hair and shoulders, feeling the soft shudders that still shook her.

Yuuki finally sighed, her entire body glowing and replete from pleasure as her breathing calmed down. It was amazing the way Zero made her feel and tonight had barely begun. She wasn't sure if she could take much more of this, though...

"That was amazing, Zero" she murmured. "But how about you?" She blinked open heavy lidded eyes to see Zero's satisfied smile. "_You_ were amazing," he told her softly. "And I'm fine."

For answer, Yuuki rubbed her bare knee against Zero's stiff arousal and he closed his eyes. "Uhm, OK so I'm not but I can wait, dearest. You rest for a bit longer first."

Yuuki pursed her lips - Zero always put her pleasure before his and while she found it adorably sweet, it was also a bit... infuriating... sometimes. "If you let me rest anymore, I'll fall asleep," she mock threatened but Zero only smiled. He didn't look in the least bit perturbed. "Then I'll take care of it and we'll continue in the morning," he told her calmly.

Yuuki pouted then shook her head. "Absolutely not!" she declared and Zero couldn't help chuckling at her adamant tone. "Well, are you ready then?" he asked and quirked an eyebrow at her. Yuuki smiled and nodded. Her body was cooling down and she ignored the thin layer of perspiration on her skin as she sat up and took hold of the nightdress that was still bunched around her waist. With a quick motion, she pulled it over her head. The action caused certain, soft curves to sway and Zero's attention was swiftly captured. He quickly took off his damp pyjama pants. Despite his light words, he was hard and aching for relief - not by his hand or by Yuuki's, or even her lovely, willing mouth - but Yuuki herself. But no matter how ready she was, she was still a virgin...

Zero sat up and patted his thigh. "Let's do it this way, it'll be easier for you," he said as Yuuki looked at him enquiringly. Then she smiled. She had thought that Zero would want her to lie down but it appeared he had no qualms about letting her be on top instead and she loved that about him. She loved everything about him. Yuuki sat up and straddled Zero's naked hips. Then she leaned forward, resting her hands on his shoulders and looking deep into his amethyst eyes. "I love you, Zero," she said softly and Zero smiled. "I love you, dearest."

His hands slid up to capture her slender waist and moved upwards to cup her breasts for a moment, thumbs ghosting gently over the swollen tips. Then he raised her a little and positioned her right above his rigid shaft, moving her back and forth a little and making them both groan as sensitive, moist and rosy flesh brushed lightly, teasingly against each other.

"Whenever you're ready, dearest," Zero whispered unsteadily even as he effortlessly held her up, her hips hovering above his arousal, his wet tip positioned right at her moist entrance. Yuuki looped her slender arms around his neck, gazing down into his beautiful eyes, glowing with love and passion. "Zero?" she asked in a small voice.

Zero tried to smile reassuringly but it came out rather shaky. He was exerting every ounce of control he possessed not to ram up into Yuuki's heat and claim her right this instant, nestled as he was so very tantalisingly close to her. She felt warm, tight and _oh, so good_ on his swollen, sensitive tip, so damn good in fact... But entering her so swiftly would cause pain even if she was already ready and Zero would never want that. "Slowly," he told her. "Take your time, dearest. I can wait..."

_I always have..._

A smile quivered on Yuuki's lips as though she had somehow heard his unsaid words. It was a little strange to feel Zero so intimately even though he had inserted his fingers into her before. The last time he had been this close was that one fateful night in the bathroom... No, that was in the past. This is what she wanted - the real thing - Zero himself. Yuuki relaxed and balanced her weight on her feet, taking pressure off Zero's hands. Slowly, he slid one of his hands over her flat stomach and lower still, his thumb searching again for that special bud that would make her cry out his name.

"Ah... Zero!" Yuuki cried, flinging her head back and exposing her pale, slender neck as he found it. The pulse fluttering at the base of her throat was the sweetest temptation to Zero and his eyes glowed a sudden crimson. "Yuuki," he whispered and immediately, her eyes sought him out. "Zero," she murmured, her hands reaching up to cup his cheeks. "You know you can always take from me even when you don't need to. You don't have to even ask."

With a heartfelt groan, Zero nestled his face into the crook of Yuuki's neck, his tongue going out to prepare her before his fangs claimed her gently. At the same time, he stroked her harder with his thumb and Yuuki gasped, not in pain but in blissful pleasure, her mind reeling, her blood spilling into Zero's waiting mouth. But she wanted more - she wanted to belong to Zero fully as well. With a low, long moan of surrender, she looped her arms around his neck again and pushed herself down onto his rigid shaft. It seemed to ease the throbbing, sweet ache that was building again inside her and the slight, alien discomfort of being filled was minimised, thanks to Zero's careful stretching earlier. It was only when her body protested sharply that Yuuki paused, her eyes blinking open in surprise.

Zero raised his head. "W-what is it?" he whispered, uttering a silent curse at how good it felt, even half buried in Yuuki's tight warmth. He hung grimly onto his control, knowing he was nearer to the edge than he wanted to be. Then Zero realised what was preventing him from fully possessing Yuuki - the barrier of her innocence. Even as the realisation hit him, Yuuki's slender shoulders straightened. "I'm OK, Zero," she murmured. Before he could say anything, she took a deep breath and gritted her teeth. Digging her fingers into Zero's shoulders, Yuuki pushed down hard with a decisive movement, taking him fully within her. The tearing pain was sharp but it lasted only a second or so and she gasped in surprise as she was suddenly filled with the firm and throbbing warmth of Zero's length.

"Ahh.. Yuuki!" Zero groaned against her neck, accidentally scraping her skin with his fangs as he found himself buried to the hilt within her. The moist and very snug fit of her almost overwhelmed him and Zero shuddered hard, breathing fast and shallow for a dangerous, long moment. His hands were clamping tightly onto Yuuki's hips as if afraid that she would move and knowing that would very well make him come. Zero tried distracting himself by licking at the wounds on her neck, the taste of her heated blood sweet on his tongue.

Yuuki panted softly as she buried her own face in Zero's neck, too overwhelmed for a moment to even think of moving. "Hey, you OK?" Zero asked softly. The concern in his voice made Yuuki smile and she lifted her head to look at him. "More than OK, Zero," she answered softly and saw the look of relief on his face. "You feel amazing," he told her reverently. "So hot. So t-tight..."

Yuuki's eyes glowed. Zero's adoring look and the way he had to struggle a little to get his words out made her feel beautiful, sensual and powerful. She needed to hear his words but she also needed... him. She rose up a little then lowered herself again, slowly letting Zero's hard length fill her once more, an inch at a time. They both gasped at the delicious sensations as his length slid smoothly into her, his swollen head going deep until it could go no more. Zero wasn't sure he would be able to hold out long with the amazing stimulus and his thumb urgently sought out Yuuki's secret bud again, wanting to take her with him this time.

Yuuki cried out as she flung her head back and Zero dipped his head, his mouth closing onto one rosy, taut nipple. He sucked it deep into his mouth as he rubbed his thumb firmly against her moist flesh. Yuuki uttered a long, shivering moan in response, her body quaking. She moved faster, up and down in an instinctive motion, loving how Zero's hard length seemed to assuage the sweet ache that was building once more inside her. She had never allowed him to pleasure her twice at a time - it was too much - but there was a first time for everything...

Zero growled a soft curse, trying his best to hold out even as he thrilled to the slow, hypnotic rhythm of Yuuki's movements. He wanted her to fly with him - always. Yuuki gasped softly, pushing her hips down hard onto his now, her erratic movements gaining momentum and urgency, pushing him even deeper into her. Zero thrust upward in return, rejoicing in her sweet eagerness and trusting to instinct that his movements now would not hurt her. Yuuki cried out again, but not in pain and Zero stroked her even harder with his thumb, his tongue swirling over her nipple. He was pleasuring her inside and out with his fingers, his lips and his body and Yuuki was caught in a storm of pure sensation, her body moving of its own accord now as she got closer and closer to completion.

"Zero! I –I'm –"

"Yes, dearest," Zero panted. "Don't hold back..."

"I – I can't!" Yuuki's words trailed off in a near wail, her body shuddering against Zero's. Then she cried out his name as a burst of sweet ecstasy exploded from deep inside her, radiating outward and racing to every last part of her trembling body. She was beyond words for a long, shivering moment, her eyes squeezed tight, her mouth open in a soundless scream of joy, her arms wrapped around Zero's shoulders tightly and her body pressed close to his. It was much, much better than before. Feeling Zero buried so deeply within her made the pleasure sweeter, satisfying her far more than just his fingers or his lips ever had.

Zero didn't let up. He thrust his lean hips up again and again, seating himself deep in Yuuki's warmth each time, relishing the feel of her exquisite body shuddering and convulsing around him. He squeezed his eyes shut and let her continuing gasps and shudders propel him right over the edge. Crying out Yuuki's name, he thrust up deep into her and exploded, gifting her with his warm essence. Zero wrapped both arms around Yuuki as his body quaked and his mind splintered into a thousand formless, wordless thoughts of bliss that lasted... and lasted... and lasted...

Then he fell back against the pillows and pulled Yuuki with him. She rested on his heaving chest, still quivering as she uttered soft noises of lingering pleasure that fell upon his ears like the sweetest music ever played.

- o -

A few supremely blissful minutes later, two naked and flushed bodies were still cuddled close together on the rumpled sheets. Zero sighed in pure contentment, one arm wrapped around Yuuki's bare shoulders as she rested her cheek on his chest, loving the sound of his strong, slowing down heartbeat.

"Are you OK, dearest?"

"Mm... yes, I am." A delicate yawn followed the whispered words.

"Did it hurt very much?"

Slender, feminine fingers trailed lovingly over flushed skin still damp with perspiration. "Only a little... Stop worrying, Zero!" She looked up then and found his gaze on her. "Was it good?" he asked. Not because he didn't know but because... he wanted to hear it. Yuuki smiled. "It was wonderful, Zero," she reassured him. "Even better than I imagined it to be."

Zero grinned in relief but couldn't help quirking an eyebrow at her words. "You've imagined it?"

Yuuki smiled impishly at him. "All the time," she replied in a sing song voice and Zero chuckled. "Come here," he whispered and Yuuki obliged, half sitting up.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

They kissed in a moment of perfect contentment that needed no words. Then Yuuki spoke again. "Um... Zero?"

"Hmm. Yes, dearest?"

"Could you... could you pass me the box of tissues on the nightstand, please?"

"Why?" The words were followed by a huge yawn. Zero sounded on the verge of sleep now but he tightened his arms around Yuuki just a little bit more.

"Now, now!"

At first, Zero merely blinked at the unexpected sound of panic in Yuuki's voice. Then an arm reached out in the direction of the nightstand and knocked the aforementioned box to the floor. Long, male fingers groped for and snagged the box a second later. They carried it up to the bed where slender fingers frantically yanked several pieces of soft tissues from the box. A soft laugh finally sounded as warm, sticky liquid was mopped up from the inside of a slender thigh.

"It's your fault, you know!"

"Huh?"

"If you hadn't... um, you know, spilled... so much..."

A mortified silence ensued before a completely amused giggle broke it. "Oh, so who's shy now?" Yuuki's voice was positively devilish and Zero groaned a negative. But she only laughed again. "It's OK, I don't mind that."

"You don't? Well, that's good, then..."

"It is? Why?"

"... 'coz I've got more to spare."

Another silence ensued for several seconds before shocked giggles sounded.

"Zero! Ooh, you – you pervert!"

A tussle started on the bed, causing a high pitched shriek to sound before more laughter followed, feminine giggles mixing with masculine chuckles. But all too soon, the laughter had turned to blissful sighs as the two newlyweds on the bed discovered love again.

They finally fell asleep, wrapped in each other's arms and bathed in the radiant glow of the moonlight streaming in from the window.

-- Chapter End --


	60. Chap 30: Epilogue

**Author Notes: **This is the last update for Hold Me! _-grins in utter relief-_ LOL, I'm finally finishing the very first fanfic I've ever written that started way back in December 2007 - more than a year ago! This update marks the epilogue for my ZeroxYuuki story - it's the 60th update and the 30th chapter. I've had a lot of fun writing this fanfic and it also gave rise to my other VK fanfics, with different pairings that I never expected to even read, much less write about! I hope you've enjoyed reading all the Hold Me chapters as much as I have had in writing them.

Thank you to my wonderful and loyal reviewers, some of you have been with me almost from Chapter 1 itself! _-bows-_ Enjoy this last installment :D

-- Chapter Start --

_Five years later..._

The limousine that pulled up at the gates of Cross Academy was known to the guard and he opened the gates immediately, offering a respectful salute to the pureblood sitting at the back.

An almost soundless sigh escaped Kaname's lips as he looked around at the familiar landscape and buildings of the school. It had been almost a year since he had last been here last but every time he set foot in here, it always felt like... home. A place that he felt safe in, a place that was still safe - a haven where little or none of the never-ending political dealings of the vampire world touched. Kaname was determined to keep it that way and even more so now, when Cross Academy was also the home of the people he cherished most in the world – his younger sister Yuuki Kiriyu, her husband Zero, their adopted father Kaien Cross and of course, little Yuko Kiriyu.

- o -

The limousine pulled up outside the main quarters and stopped. As Kaname got down from the car, the front door opened right on cue and a curious little heart-shaped face peeped out before huge amethyst eyes widened in delight. "Oji-san!" squealed the little girl as she ran out bare footed and flung herself at the pureblood.

Kaname's very seldom heard laughter rang out as he scooped the little girl up with hardly any effort at all and held her at arms length above him, hands securely holding her small waist. "Yuko-chan, you've grown so much since I last saw you in town! How is my little angel?" he asked as he smiled up at her. Yuko beamed down at him, chubby arms and legs waving and kicking fearlessly in the air. "Fine, Oji-san, fine!" she exclaimed. "Papa will be back this evening and everyone will be here!" she continued in a suitably dramatic tone.

"He will? And what are you doing out here when you haven't even finished your dinner yet?" asked Kaname in mildly reproving tones that held a hint of laughter, having both seen and smelled the traces of what could only be porridge around his niece's mouth.

By now, his driver had already placed Kaname's overnight bag at the front door. Kaname lowered Yuko and carried her in one arm before placing a soft kiss onto her hair. "Who's everyone?" he asked as he nodded at the driver's bow then went inside, carrying his bag with his other hand.

"Why, Hanabusa Oji-san, Yori Oba-san, Tomi-chan and Taya-chan, of course!" she replied as if Kaname should have already known. "They're my bestest friends in the whole world, you know," she added thoughtfully.

Kaname chuckled, having heard the same thing from Yuuki before. "They are?"

Yuko nodded solemnly. "I'm gonna tell you a secret but you mustn't tell anyone," she added in a theatrically loud whisper, her eyes larger than ever. Kaname nodded just as solemnly. "I won't tell anyone," he promised. Yuko then took her uncle's face in her chubby, slightly sticky hands and looked straight into his eyes. Kaname hadn't had many people in his life hold his face like his, nor regard him with that utter lack of fear his niece was showing now and his heart swelled almost painfully with warmth even though he was careful to keep his face looking solemn.

"Tomi-chan says he's gonna marry me one day," Yuko declared and Kaname had to quickly bite the inside of one cheek - gently so as not to draw blood - lest he let out an accidental chuckle and offended his only niece.

"He said that?" he asked in appropriately awed tones and Yuko nodded emphatically. Then her sweet face crumpled up and Kaname's heart leapt a little in sudden alarm. "But Tomi-chan can't keep a secret, he's already told his papa!" she wailed in distress as she related her future fiancé's gross indiscretion. Kaname found himself biting the inside of his cheek even harder as he tried not to picture Aido's sure to be befuddled expression at his son's confession.

"Telling his mama would have been a better choice, I think" he murmured and Yuko nodded emphatically. "I told him that too, Oji-san, but as usual he never listens to me!" she declared on a long suffering sigh. Still frowning a little, Yuko grabbed a fistful of her uncle's long, dark hair and tugged on it absently. Kaname hoped she wasn't leaving porridge in his hair as he chuckled – the look on his niece's face was just too much.

"But you haven't told your parents yet, am I right, darling?" he asked, in an attempt to cheer her up. To be honest, Kaname wasn't quite sure what he should say in this sort of situation, despite being an articulate and politically savvy pureblood. Luckily, Yuko brightened up at once and gifted him with a happy smile that looked just like her mother's.

"No, I haven't! Even though Tomi-chan's seven years old and I'm only three!" she declared proudly, now twining the long, dark hair around her small fingers. "And a half," she added absently, looking fully absorbed in her task. After a moment, she sighed and peeped up at her uncle. "Well, I did tell Sofu-san..." she admitted sheepishly.

Kaname felt like chuckling again but he controlled himself. "Oh? And what did he say?" he asked, already knowing the eccentric ex-Headmaster's reaction. Yuko made a face. "He started crying!" she said in disgusted tones that sounded exactly like her father's. This time, Kaname's laughter rang out – he just couldn't help it.

Before he could control himself, a sweet and familiar voice had called out from the direction of the kitchen. "Kaname-nii-san?" The pureblood's dark eyes lit up as he dropped his bag in the hall and walked quickly towards the kitchen, still carrying his niece. Yuuki was standing at the stove, stirring the contents of a large pot but she dropped the ladle and walked over to greet her brother. "You're just on time, nii-san! We can have dinner as soon as Zero gets back – he's been away for four days," she said with a happy smile.

Kaname enveloped her in a one armed hug and dropped a kiss onto her soft auburn hair as he still liked to do. "That sounds great, Yuuki," he said warmly, his eyes already going to the obvious swell of her stomach, very visible under the loose sundress she wore. "How are you feeling? Not too tired?"

Yuuki chuckled as she directed Kaname to put her daughter back in the high chair that was pulled close to the kitchen table. "I'm only six months pregnant, nii-san, not about to deliver just yet" she chided gently. "I'm fine and my two boys are fine, too," she added as she patted her stomach proudly. All the same, she sat down with a relieved sigh before resuming feeding Yuko her porridge.

"How long are you staying this time?"

Kaname was taking down a mug from the shelf and didn't turn around. "A couple of days. I need to see how the new Night Class students are getting along and of course, my arrangement with Zero," he replied. The pureblood smiled to himself as he poured his tea. Yuuki never failed to start her usual fuss on why he never stayed longer than two days whenever he came to visit but he only smiled at her before taking a sip of his tea.

Three year Yuko had taken after her father in colouring but her mischievous amethyst eyes owed their large and beguiling round shape to her mother. Character-wise, Yuko was exactly like Yuuki too – happy, cheerful and kind. She adored everyone she met, could not stop talking or asking questions and whenever not closely supervised, would inevitably escape to the school canteen in order to 'talk to her friends' - whichever of the Day Class students who happened to be there. For now, Zero and Yuuki let her but they were aware that those visits would have to be strictly supervised once Yuko neared her fifth year and her milk teeth fell out. Vampire children began teething earlier than their human counterparts and their canines - their actual fangs - would begin to grow out once they reached five years old.

In fact, even though Yuko still sported her milk teeth, her parents and grandfather had already experienced getting their fingertips nipped a few times and none too gently either. Still, the ex-Headmaster was quite the besotted grandfather and having retired when she was born, delighted in taking care of her whenever Zero and Yuuki were busy, which was quite often.

Zero was now a skilled and careful vampire hunter with keen analytical skills, and had already started taking charge of minor missions. Being a hunter was in his blood and although these missions still made Yuuki worry, she never once thought of stopping her husband even if she did caution him to be careful each time he left for one of them.

Yuuki smiled at Yuko now as she popped another spoonful of porridge into her daughter's mouth. She and Zero hadn't taken any precaution on their wedding night four years ago but she hadn't gotten pregnant then. It was actually a good thing since she had had a lot of learning to do after her graduation. For the past three years, Cross Academy has been managed by a temporary Headmistress - one of Cross' female ex-colleagues who also supported his pacifist views. Yuuki was assisting her as she gained more experience before taking over as the school's Headmistress in a year's time or so while Cross still acted as advisor but only when his counsel was sought.

All of them now lived at Cross Academy. Zero and Yuuki could imagine living nowhere else – it was their home and even now, it still was. They had converted Yuuki's old room into their master bedroom and little Yuko slept in Zero's old room, next to theirs. Cross still used his bedroom next to his study.

All the nobles who made up the Night Class together with Kaname previously had flown the nest. Kaname took turns with Takuma to visit the school every once in a while to check on how things were and held meetings with the Night Class teachers on the class syllabus and any issues that arose. This time, it was Kaname's turn since it also coincided with his feeding schedule for Zero. The silver haired hunter now only required Kaname's pure blood once a year but since getting more active in his missions, he sometimes needed extra which the pureblood was only too happy to provide.

Kaname and Yuuki chatted in the kitchen for a few minutes, their casual conversation interrupted from time to time by Yuko. But after finishing his tea, Zero still hadn't returned and the pureblood stood up. "I'll go freshen up first, Yuuki," he said as he stood up and placed his mug in the sink. "Be back in fifteen minutes."

Yuuki nodded as she wiped her daughter's mouth. "Good idea. Zero should be back by then."

- o -

"Papa!"

"Dearest..."

Yuuki swung around again at the sound of that dearly beloved voice. "Zero!" she cried happily as her husband came into the kitchen, grinning at her. He paused by the high chair to scoop an excited Yuko into his arms and kiss her soundly on the cheek before going over to the kitchen sink where Yuuki was. Zero bent down to give her a light kiss. "Mmm! You smell like chicken stew - delicious!" he teased her. Yuuki pursed her lips at him, the soapy sponge in her hand quite forgotten. "It _is _delicious and you're just in time for - hey, where are you going?" she asked as Zero started to walk away. He looked over his shoulder at her. "To take a shower, of course."

It was a conversation that took place each time after he came back and they never tired of it. Yuuki shook her head as she placed her soapy hands on her hips, her normally sweet expression stern. "Don't you walk away without giving me a proper kiss, Zero Kiriyu," she demanded, making her husband grin again as he retraced his steps obediently. Propping Yuko onto one hip, he tilted his wife's chin up. "Never, dearest," he murmured before kissing her thoroughly, careful of her rounded stomach. Yuuki's toes curled in her home slippers. Zero sure knew how to kiss her alright, even if he had never kissed anyone else before her – something that made her very happy. It was a long moment before they parted and Zero smiled into the soft, brown eyes. "Is that better?" he whispered huskily.

Yuuki nodded, soft colour blooming in her cheeks. "Better," she managed, half wishing that dinner was already over, Yuko already asleep and she had her husband all to herself in bed. Zero's smile widened – it wasn't difficult to read her thoughts. "Believe me, dearest, I'm looking forward to tonight just as much," he told her and Yuuki felt her cheeks warm even more. "Stop reading my thoughts!" she half laughed, half pouted at him.

Zero laughed as well, feeling the last dregs of the tension from his most recent mission melt away. He was home now and even better, on three days of leave before he had to report back to the Hunter Association – three days of doing nothing but loving and caring for his family and maybe even sitting in on a couple of the Day Class teachers' meetings, something Cross had requested of him.

"I guess Kaname's already here then?" he asked casually, having caught a faint scent of the pureblood in the kitchen as well as on his wife's hair. Yuuki nodded happily as she continued washing up the used dishes in the sink. "He's gone to wash up but will be joining us for dinner," she informed him excitedly. Zero held back his grin - he still retained his amusement from old for his wife's exuberance in almost everything she did and along with it, his delight in teasing her.

"So he doesn't know you're cooking tonight?" he asked with a perfectly straight face as he swung his daughter up and down in his strong arms. It was something Yuko loved, apparent by the loud squeals she emitted each time she was tossed up, knowing her father's arms would catch her without fail.

Yuuki blinked and gasped. Then she reached for the dish towel and flung it at her husband. Without missing a beat, Zero shifted Yuko in his arms then caught the cloth neatly one handed, making Yuuki pout again. "No fair," she muttered with a playful sniff. "And he does know I'm cooking, so there!"

Zero chuckled and walked back to her. "Don't give me that," he said gently as he bent his head to kiss her cheek after tossing the towel onto the counter. "You know he would eat anything you cooked. I would, and father too..."

Standing in the doorway, Kaname watched them silently. He had deliberately hidden his aura and was enjoying the loving scene in the kitchen with a wistful smile on his face. It was good to know that Zero and Yuuki behaved like this when they didn't know he was around. Kaname knew that the young hunter loved his younger sister and their daughter with all his heart but witnessing their open affection for each other still warmed his heart. He knew he no longer needed to worry about his sister's happiness – she was brimming with it.

_Ah, I envy you your happiness, Yuuki..._

Without making a sound, Kaname turned around and walked back to the living room.

- o -

Aido, Yori, Tomi and their three year old daughter Taya arrived not long after so dinner was a cheerful and noisy affair. Cross sat at the head of the table and beamed at everyone. He insisted that Yuko sat next to him which suited both Zero and Yuuki just fine since they were able to chat with the others instead. With Tomi and the two girls chattering nonstop to each other, the ex-Headmaster had his hands full but happily so.

Yori had made her decision four years ago to be turned into a vampire. It was something Zero and Yuuki suspected she would eventually do and they were right. Before that, Aido and Yori had travelled to her father's house, wanting to see his reaction about the true identity of his daughter's in-laws. The older man had not taken the news well at all and as much as it had hurt him to do so, Aido had no choice but to wipe his father-in-law's memory of that conversation. It looked like they would have to hide Yori's changed state from her family whenever they went to visit but as her father remained very busy with his business, the visits would be infrequent and therefore, more manageable.

Yori's mind was still firmly made up and a few days later, Kaname changed her. Everyone was relieved that it wasn't as painful a process as Zero's had been, since she took Kaname's blood soon after she woke up from the bite and was stabilised immediately. Although it had never crossed Aido nor Yori's mind, Kaname still took the trouble to reassure them that he would never impose his will on Yori in any way, even though technically, he was her master. Aido was actually shocked at his words and protested that Kaname had always gotten his fullest trust, something that the pureblood couldn't help smiling at even as he nodded and thanked the earnest young noble with his usual graciousness.

Well, Yori's looks hadn't really changed, thought Yuuki as she stole a glance at her friend who was now admonishing her children for talking too loudly and interrupting Cross' own dinner. Her best friend's skin was now as pale as her husband's and seemed to have a more translucent quality to it but other than that, she remained the same, sensible and level headed person she had always been.

Halfway through the meal, Zero noticed that Kaname had stopped eating. The pureblood was observing each person seated at the table, taking a moment to study each of the familiar faces. When he came to Zero who was sitting beside him, he paused. The young hunter had raised an eyebrow slightly in a silent enquiry but Kaname only shook his head before resuming eating again.

_I envy you your happiness too, Zero..._

- o -

It was now a few hours later, almost eleven at night. Their quarters was once again peaceful and quiet after Aido's family and Kaname left for the former Moon Dorms building to rest. The rooms there had been fixed up and refurbished and were now as comfortable as the current Moon Dorms were.

Little Yuko was already fast asleep in her bed and Yuuki smiled as she pulled the blanket higher up over her daughter's shoulders. She could be such a handful when she was awake but once asleep, her daughter's sleeping face reminded her of an angel's. Zero came out of the bathroom just as Yuuki closed her daughter's bedroom door quietly. "Sleeping already?" he asked quietly as he placed an arm around his wife's shoulders and they walked back to their room.

Yuuki nodded, smiling. "Out like a light after all the playing around with Tomi and Taya earlier," she said on a laugh. Zero closed their room door and turned to her. "And what about her mother? Is she tired as well?" he asked as he let his eyes rove over his wife's body. Despite her slightly rounded face and even more rounded stomach, he felt his body tightening with familiar desire.

Yuuki laughed again as she sat on the bed. "A little... but never too tired to make love, Zero," she reassured him and Zero smiled. "That's good, dearest," he replied a little huskily as he got into bed and reached for her.

But a few minutes later, even after having been lovingly and gently prepared, Yuuki found making love rather... uncomfortable. Zero stopped his wife as soon as he saw the discomfort reflected on her face. "Wait, Yuuki. Does it hurt?"

Yuuki paused. Zero was always careful not to place any pressure on her stomach and for the past few months, he had insisted that she remained on top of him to minimise any pressure on her middle, despite her half hearted protests that she probably weighed about the same as an average cow. Yuuki sighed as she rested more of her weight on his hips and rubbed her swollen tummy. "A little," she admitted reluctantly. "Probably because of the weight of the twins."

Zero managed a smile even though his aching body protested. He held Yuuki steady as she clambered off of him a little awkwardly. "That's OK, I don't mind," he told her.

Yuuki couldn't help sighing a little at that – Zero was just too sweet sometimes... well, most of the time. "Did you think I would believe you?" she asked as she sat next to him and reached for his straining erection. Zero started to shake his head but sighed instead as Yuuki moistened her slender fingers with his liquid then slid them up and down his length in a light, teasing fashion.

"Yuuki..." Zero told her warningly.

Yuuki was all wide eyed innocence. "What?" she asked.

Zero growled softly, unable to stop his hips from arching up under his wife's teasing ministrations. "Harder, please...!"

Yuuki laughed happily before she released him, getting another groan out of Zero. She carefully got off the bed and knelt down beside it then beckoned to her husband. "Come here, Zero..."

Zero shifted closer to the edge of the bed, placing his long legs on either side of his wife. Past experience had taught him that there was no saying 'No' to Yuuki when she had made up her mind over something and he was rewarded for his obedience as small hands and a warm mouth started to love him in earnest. Zero's head tipped back on a soft moan. "Unh... Yuuki..." he panted out, holding his hips still with an effort before drawing a shaky hand through her long, silky auburn hair, holding it away from her face.

Yuuki smiled as she used her hands, lips and tongue. Zero may love how she tasted but she definitely loved how _he _tasted. Her husband was ever the gentleman and would usually remove himself from his wife's mouth once he got too close to the brink but during the few times he hadn't managed to do so in time, Yuuki had no issues with taking all he had to give – to her, Zero tasted as good as he looked. Now, she paused for a moment to smile up at him.

"This time, I want it all, Zero," she told him softly and watched his cheeks flush lightly. "Really?" he asked with a touch of that same uncertainty the first time she had done this and Yuuki's heart swelled with happiness. "Really," she reassured him. Slowly, she reached up and Zero bent down so that they could kiss. He could already taste a light hint of his own scent on her lips but before he could say anything, she was bending over his hips again and working her magic on him.

Zero squirmed helplessly on the bed as his throbbing, sensitive tip was teased and caressed with Yuuki's tongue and teeth. Then she took him as deep as she dared, her head moving up and down as her hands squeezed and teased him. She knew the right amount of pressure to apply now and Zero was carried closer and closer to the edge. The sweet, throbbing tension grew more and more unbearable as he neared his completion and his chest heaved as he gave one panting cry after another. After a long and exquisite moment of torture, it happened.

"Aah... Yuuki!" Zero cried out as he finally came and found himself arching up into that soft, loving mouth even though he had tried so hard not to. Yuuki speeded up her actions as she continued pleasuring her husband until he was completely spent, his ragged breath brushing her hair. He reached for her as soon as he could and pulled her up onto the bed once more before spooning her from behind.

"That was... fantastic," he murmured, still panting softly as he dropped loving kisses onto one bare shoulder. "I love you, dearest."

Yuuki looked over her shoulder and Zero kissed her gently, flushing deeper this time as he tasted his own passion on her lips. "Thank you," he told her solemnly and Yuuki nodded. "You're welcome and I love you too," she said softly before yawning. That made Zero lean up on his elbow. "Hey, you falling asleep on me?" he asked in mock surprise, making Yuuki giggle. "Why, did you have something in mind?" she asked him innocently, already knowing what the answer would be.

"I do indeed," Zero drawled as he sat up and moved to the bottom of the bed. "Trust me, dearest, you'll sleep much better after this."

Yuuki smiled sleepily but she gasped as familiar, warm hands parted her thighs then reached for her. "Mmm... you spoil me, Zero," she said on a soft sigh as her thighs fell open, all the better to let those clever fingers tease her in turn.

"No more than you spoil me," Zero replied before he exacted sweet revenge with his tongue, making Yuuki grab the nearest pillow she could. "Zero, aaah...!"

After several deliciously sensual minutes that culminated with Yuuki's soft, panting cries, she snuggled up against Zero, feeling even sleepier than before. Her bump necessitated that he spoon her from behind but neither of them minded that since it was actually their favourite position for sleeping, or for just cuddling together.

"Zero?"

"Hmm?"

"I feel sorry for nii-san..."

Zero's eyes blinked open. "Why?" he asked.

Yuuki yawned again. "I saw him looking around the table during dinner earlier and he... he looked so lonely."

Zero nodded. "I saw that, too." _Being a pureblood sure was a lonely affair... _

While waiting for Aido's family to arrive, Kaname and Zero had taken the opportunity to hold their blood sharing session. With his fangs buried in the pureblood's pale neck and their bodies pressed close together, Zero could feel that Kaname's trembles were a little more pronounced than before. After he had taken his fill of that rich, pure blood, the hunter licked the wounds on Kaname's neck closed and murmured his thanks. But when he asked if Kaname was OK, the pureblood had just shrugged before turning away to button up his shirt.

Yuuki didn't say anything and Zero cuddled her closer. "He has us, Yuuki... and he'll always be welcome here, you know that."

His words made Yuuki blink back sudden tears. She loved the fact that the two most important men in her lives no longer had any enmity between them. "You're right, Zero. But I do hope that he won't remain lonely forever... that there will be someone to love him some day."

Zero nodded then kissed the back of Yuuki's neck, loving the tickling sensation of her hair against his nose. "Like there was someone for poor, lonely me, you mean?" he teased, pulling a soft giggle from his wife. "Exactly," she said rather smugly and Zero buried his face in her neck. "I'm the luckiest man in the world," he murmured sleepily, his eyes closing. Yuuki nodded before she yawned for the third time, making Zero smile. "That makes me the luckiest woman, then," she replied.

Zero's smile grew larger as a small hand found its way into his own larger one. He squeezed it gently then placed his other hand on Yuuki's rounded stomach and in that comfortable embrace, they both fell asleep.

They had their own family and they had each other. Neither of them could ask for more.

-- THE END --


End file.
